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Weezer

OK Human

Written by: PP on 27/02/2021 12:22:31

Weezer is scheduled to release two albums in 2021, which will be stylistically polar opposite from each other. The first one, "OK Human", a play on Radiohead's classic "OK Computer", is arguably the weirdest one of the two, arriving in a stylistic format that should surprise most Weezer fans. Yes, the band has dabbled in pop-rock quite some time now, but never quite like this; the genre tags used to describe "OK Human" read baroque pop and chamber pop among others.

In practical terms, it sounds like a Beach Boys album written with a classical orchestra backing, with equal nods towards Beatles and Queen in the process. Indeed, singer Rivers Cuomo has tossed the guitars mostly aside and explores the higher end of his vocal range with string instruments and piano providing the backing instrumentation, save for the odd acoustic guitar here and there.

Now, normally that kind of description would imply a progressive, grandiose arrangement, but that is not the case here. Instead, the songs are short, mostly sub-three-minute pop-rock songs that place focus on Rivers Cuomo's voice alone. "Bird With A Broken Wing", for instance, draws parallels to songs like Natalia Imbruglia's "Big Big World" or similar pop songs, resulting in an enjoyable sing-along that's made for the radios. And yes, the songs are far-reaching and theatrical in their arrangement, yet never feel over-inflated or overproduced in any way. Instead, they just sound ambitious and excel in showcasing just how good of a singer Rivers Cuomo is in reality.

"OK Human" is quite a mouthful for Weezer fans given the lack of a rock base, but I'm told the upcoming "Van Weezer" in a few months should provide just that. In the meantime, we can enjoy these orchestral arrangements and admit that even in this format, Weezer provides an enjoyable, catchy listening experience.

Download: All My Favorite Songs, Bird With A Broken Wing, Aloo Gobi, Grapes Of Wrath
For the fans of: The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Queen
Listen: Facebook

Release date 29.01.2021
Atlantic / Crush