My significant other says she can't tell this from Weezer; she says this is Weezer-lite - and it's a delightful brew that will confuse even some of your more knowing friends when you organise a tasting.

Pat Wilson (Weezer) and his old mate Atom Willard (Rocket From The Crypt), after jamming together since 2000, have now enlisted the help of engineer Chad Bamford to record a trad hard rock album. The sound is very traditional but lively and fresh. It is uneven but consistently satisfying. I'll probably put it in my car.

At times - in a few places - the lyrics seem somewhat underdeveloped or even incoherent, but where these issues are resolved the result is genius. For example in N.F.A., which stands for the repeated "not f***in' around", but is turned into the most beautiful love pledge. In fact this is almost an old-fashioned ‘60s love song updated. It owes a little to Weezer's Only In Dreams. Whatever's Going On also has memorable words ("I don't belong in this world - no one does...") which appeal immediately to the listener.

Oops is a hard rock Eleanor Rigby, filled with delicious ambiguity. How has this friend been "lost"? Misplaced? Deliberately lost? "Oh, no, I did it again..." gives us a tantalising clue. What is important in popular music is that it connects with its audience: this powerfully connects through its different appeal to different listeners.

Despite being only a duo these musicians produce an exotic chromaticism at the start of Pardon Me and there are memorable guitar riffs at the end. This is a good example of the excellent mixing of this album. Move It Along is a grown-up Beach Boys' song - in a sort of philosophical hard-rock version.

Try it. You'll like it! But it may take more than one hearing.

  share with:  Facebook | Digg | other sites