OK Human - Weezer
It really is hard to compare any alternative song today to the alt rock hits of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Classic bands were at their peak like Green Day, Jimmy Eat World, The Killers, and of course, Weezer.
Fortunately for us, Weezer is still cranking out new music and keeping up the times.
Lead singer and guitarist Rivers Cuomo has been killing it since 1994, and I love the new vibe he brings on Weezer’s latest album OK Human.
The pop punk, indie staples from Weezer like “Beverly Hills” or “Say It Ain’t So” will never get old, but on their 14th album, the band experiments with more orchestra strings and piano.
OK Human is pretty emotional for Cuomo and differs from the ironic innuendos in previous albums. In an Apple Music interview with Zane Lowe, Cuomo explains how the album came to be:
Weezer started working on OK Human in 2017, but after performing with Green Day and Fall Out Boy on the Hella Mega tour, they put the project on hold to put out Van Weezer, an ‘80s punk rock album. Then Corona hit before they released it and Cuomo, with a 90% finished album, said “How can you promote a rock album if you can’t rock?”
So, the band tapped back into their emotions and the idea of the human experience. They also got back into listening to Beethoven, one of the inspirations for OK Human.
Cuomo wants fans to feel heard and say “Oh yeah, he gets me” when listening to these tracks. The opener “All My Favorite Songs” gets right to the point – Cuomo sings about finding a purpose despite the tendency to lose ourselves in all the chaos and worries of life.
The album title is after Radiohead’s 1997 album OK Computer, which was about how computers control humans. More than 20 years later, the new song “Screens” explains where we are now and how much more accurate that theme is today: we are completely addicted to technology, nearly at the point of robots taking over. Cuomo references how his own family is captivated by social media and the inevitable detachment from real life as a result.
After my first listen through the album, I had to listen to “Bird With A Broken Wing” another 3 or 4 times. It’s the longest track and hits the deepest of Cuomo’s emotions that he was willing to share on this album. It is about how Cuomo was starting to feel the musician slump, and he told Lowe he was just “feeling irrelevant and past his prime.” It is truly a beautiful song and proves Weezer can do it all, even years after what was technically the peak of their career.
“Here Comes The Rain” is, of course, a testament to The Beatles’ “Here Comes The Sun” but in 2021, the rain is “gonna wash all my troubles away.” This song is sweet and catchy like most Beatles songs.
“Aloo Gobi” was actually one of the originals from 2017, about how he was getting bored of the dates with his wife. It’s ironic because they had to alter some lyrics for the pandemic; Cuomo now wishes he had appreciated those dates a little more. Additionally, the bridge to this song is really genuine, Cuomo sings “You are not alone. Someone else will be there with you, be there with you.”
“Numbers” is a slow jam about how everyone has insecurities and we’re constantly comparing ourselves to others. “Playing My Piano” is an even slower song that appreciates the power of creating music. It’s a heavenly escape.
No album is complete without a love song, and this one’s is “Mirror Image.” Cuomo shares the deep love he feels for his wife, Kyoko Ito, but also the fear of losing her.
“La Brea Tar Pits” is named after a landmark in L.A. and has some sick violin. The track closes the album with a message reminding us to cherish what we have left of life.
This album is filled with heartfelt messages and truths about the world today, and I think Weezer sounds great with the new beats and instruments on this project.
While we wait for Van Weezer to drop in the next couple of months, OK Human is a perfect replacement. I really enjoyed this album and I think fans of alternative will appreciate it too; reminding us that even though our lives may be a little too dictated by technology, we are still humans who feel deeply and live passionately at our core.
