Epitaph
“Death to False Metal” releases less than two months on the heels of Weezer’s “Hurley” and establishes the geek-rock band as an overachiever in the alternative music scene.
The band has kept fans guessing with a history of side projects, near breakups and quirky unpredictability. With “Hurley” and the upcoming Nov. 2 release “Death to False Metal,” Weezer embarks on a new chapter, switching from their old label, Universal, to join the indie ranks at Epitaph.
“False Metal” is a 10-track reflection of Weezer’s colorful past with unreleased songs that span the band’s history. Songs range from hook-laden tunes with radio potential to aggressive hard rock departures from the trademark Weezer sound.
Lyrically, lead singer and songwriter Rivers Cuomo presents equal parts genius and innocence in a cocktail of pomp and introspection. In “Odd Couple,” the joy and pain of divergent interests in romance takes center stage in a song that boasts the album’s best showing of hooks and songwriting.
“I’m A Robot,” a contradiction of downer lyrics and a jangly-keyboard melody, romps through a typical daily grind. Cuomo belts, “I’m a robot, I’m a robot,” throughout the chorus, reinforcing the repetition of living in a routine.
“Losing My Mind” matches the contradiction of “Robot,” attempting a balladic melancholy offset by cheery violins. The tone does not lend itself to the idea that Cuomo is in fact losing his mind. The song is one of the album’s conceptual standouts, however, with Cuomo looking for something more meaningful than the club life.
“I Don’t Want Your Loving,” an assertion of independence from meek and needy lovers, has complaints like “every word that you know gets caught up in your throat” and “I have way too much pride to go for this.”
The most obvious blemish on the album’s face is “Blowin’ My Stack,” a throwaway track celebrating a loose temper with lyrical gems like “I’m blowin’ my stack—it makes me feel good!”
Anna Jacobsen / The Collegian
With “False Metal,” Weezer effectively puts a bow on “Hurley,” an album that, according to industry rumors, was funded by the surf company of the same name. In a mocking response to what they saw as a sell out move, critics of the band offered Weezer $10 million to break up. With typical tongue-in-cheek Weezer style, drummer Patrick Wilson responded on Twitter and accepted the offer, but at a higher price. “if they can make it 20, we’ll do the ‘deluxe breakup’!”
Whether Weezer sold out to corporate America is unclear. A listen to “False Metal” gives an equally murky impression of Weezer’s musical direction. “Unreleased” collections are usually reserved for die-hard fans, featuring demo tracks and songs that didn’t make the studio album cut. “False Metal” is no exception—dismissible for casual fans but a must-buy for Weezer loyalists.
Weezer hits California on its Memories Tour this fall:
– Nov. 26 — Los Angeles (Gibson Amphitheatre) — Blue Album
– Nov. 27 — Los Angeles (Gibson Amphitheatre) – Pinkerton
– Nov. 29 — San Francisco (Nob Hill Masonic Center) — Blue Album
– Nov. 30 — San Francisco (Nob Hill Masonic Center) – Pinkerton