Rivers Cuomo of Weezer performs at BottleRock Napa 2014. Photo by Clay Lancaster (claylancaster.com)

On October 7th, Weezer will release a new record titled Everything Will be Alright in the End. Why is it important? Why should you care? After all, Weezer hasn’t been what they used to be for a long time… letting go of their Beach Boys/Beatles/Grunge/Sincere musical sound for a radio-pop aesthetic over the last decade.

Well here’s the answer: This time around, it’s good. Really good.

If you’re reading this, then chances are you’ve heard the main single “Back to the Shack”. It’s decent. Pretty much what you might expect… Except for the fact that the lyrics are a big clue as to what is coming.

Before getting into any detail, it needs to be said that Everything Will be Alright in the End is truly what most Weezer fans have wanted since 2002’s Maladroit: The production is less slick. There are guitar solos. Lots. And the lyrics are meaningful, honest, and sincere.

The music itself is a blend of most everything from the band’s first decade (minus Pinkerton maybe… although there are some melodies that resemble that album. I.E. “Go Away”).

Thick, distorted, glorious guitar and vocal lines intertwine and convey depth in songs like “The British are Coming” and “Eulogy for a Rock Band” (the former being one of the most infectious choruses Rivers Cuomo and Co. have written, and the latter of which is an open love letter to the bands of the early 90’s). “Da Vinci” displays Cuomo’s knack for simple melodies that make you happier than you thought you could be.

Most tunes here go through changes that will have you on your toes, yet seem very familiar. “Cleopatra” is a great example, moving from pop goodness to the metal-infused riffs that we became familiar with on Maladroit.

“Lonely Girl” is anything that would have normally been released with a Blue or Green cover.

“I’ve Had it Up to Here” is maybe the most new-era Weezer track on this release, until it moves into a chorus that compares to anything 2001 or earlier.

Instead of going on and on, just go have a listen and judge for yourself. Many outlets have been giving preliminary ratings in the 60-70% range, which are utterly false. It should also be noted that the album ends with a I, II, III trilogy that is just incredible. “III. Return to Ithaca” is saturated with Queen-esque guitars and creates perhaps one of the best closing jams the band has ever attempted.

Bottom Line: A little Blue, a little Green, and a little Maladroit… Weezer have, after a decade, finally shown that they truly recognized what needed to be done about their musical path and are here to remedy the situation. This is Weezer as you wish you had been hearing this entire time. The best since Pinkerton, without a doubt. Unless you were a fan of Maladroit (like us here), then it’s the best since Maladroit.

Rating: 8.5/10

Tracks to check out: “The British Are Coming”, “Go Away”, “Cleopatra”, ‘Return to Ithaka” “Da Vinci”