Father Songs and Fan Songs

Since Weezer’s 1996 album Pinkerton, critics have been questioning what direction the band is heading in. Over the years, the band was both lyrically and instrumentally losing touch with what made them popular in the first place. Rivers Cuomo is the type of lead singer who cares more about writing what he cares about than he does about popularity. However, on Everything Will Be Alright in the End the band returns back to the familiar sound of their earlier albums.

Rivers Cuomo sticks to the lyrical theme about his strained relationship with his father. Listeners first heard about this relationship on the hit song “Say It Ain’t So.” Few songs have reached the emotional heights the alternative rock classic was able to uncover. On Everything, Cuomo doesn’t try to recreate that emotion, but instead he reveals that things were okay between him and his absent dad.

Everything starts out with the banger “Ain’t Got Nobody.” The song starts out with a soothing voice saying, “Everything will be alright in the end.” Rivers Cuomo then comes in strong with a sincere “I ain’t got nobody to kiss and hug me.” “Back to the Shack” follows, in the same cool rock vibe. Cuomo starts out with, “Sorry guys I didn’t realize that I needed you so much” in a song dedicated to his fans. The lyrics in this song have been much-discussed, especially the lines “I forgot that disco sucks” and “Maybe I should play lead guitar and Pat should play the drums.” The song is filled with references to going back to the basics of rock music and asks listeners to “Turn off those stupid singing shows.” Here Weezer stays true to the quirky lines that the band is known for.

The next two tracks, “Eulogy for a Rock Band” and “Lonely Girl,” have nothing terribly unique about them, and just sound like two more decent Weezer tracks. The use of guitars and the drums on the tracks are adequate but the lyrics are fairly simplistic and therefore just blend in. “I’ve Had It Up to Here” is one of the best tracks on the album. Cuomo’s voice starts out in falsetto and the way his emotions mix in with the great guitar part and strong drums make it unique. The song “Go Away” is refreshing, as Cuomo teams up with Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino.

As a whole, the album will definitely please longtime fans, because the band returns to the classic Weezer style that they showcased on the epic The Blue Album. Weezer has never sounded as sincere and polished as they do on Everything. Splitting the songs up into 3 themes: father songs, songs for fans, and love songs, creates a coherent flow, as does repeating the mantra Everything Will Be Alright in the End throughout the album.