Perhaps it is the accumulation of a string of subpar albums, followed by a four year absence, which left many Weezer fans wondering when, if ever, Weezer would return to its former glory experienced in the mid-90s. Some fans of Weezer contested that the band could never revive the simple endearing nature of the band’s self-titled debut hit, The Blue Album, or never reach the emotive and honest nature of the band’s second album, Pinkerton. I am pleased to report that Weezer’s latest effort, Everything Will be Alright in the End, is the group’s best album since the 90s.

This album shines because of a feeling of wholeness perpetuated throughout the record. From start to finish, each song earns its place on the album, listeners will come away with a feeling of satisfaction. While not every song on EWBAITE is perfect, an enjoyable groove is maintained throughout nearly all of it, with no dramatic shifts in quality. Weezer manages to avoid the major pitfall that has plagued them before in previous albums with this one. Beforehand, while there were plenty of great sounds scattered throughout their albums, no album could really be labeled as “great” because of a few too many bad songs. EWBAITE manages to stay consistent and deliver a great sound that Weezer fans have been waiting for, and those unfamiliar with the group will enjoy just the same.

EWBAITE opens up with ‘Ain’t Got Nobody’ and boy does this song set the stage for what this album does well. After some quiet static and a few whispers, the grungy sound of Cuomo’s stratocaster kicks into high gear, chugging away, creating a sense of tension and anticipation for the chorus. The chorus begins with an at first faint, ‘ain’t got nobody,’ that builds up and crescendos, until it explodes into full swing with Cuomo belting out his frustrations of ‘living alone with no one to hold’. This track really builds momentum, and begins to explore a deeper side to Cuomo. He displays maturity with lyrics such as, ‘‘my daddy left me, no one could touch me’’ and the revealing ‘’that’s human nature, we fail each other, and keep searching for one another.’’ All in all this song is packed full of energy and hints at ideas the album will explore later on, and it makes me want to jump up and down because it’s such a rocking tune.

Following this great start comes a slight misstep with ‘Back to the Shack’, but the album recovers with the poignant ‘Eulogy for a Rock Band’, a song where Cuomo sadly acknowledges the fact that the world of music is different than it was when he started, but asserts that Weezer is still the same old Weezer when he sings, ‘We will sing the melodies that you did long ago.’

‘Lonely Girl’ comes next, and I really like this one. Weezer takes the chord progression that worked so well for their charming hit ‘Buddy Holly’ and puts a slight melancholy spin on it. Every guy likes a story about an underdog just wishing to capture the attention of that special someone, if only for the fact that both parties are happier together than apart. Cuomo captures that sentiment in a relatable and catchy way, making ‘Lonely Girl’ one of my favorites on EWBAITE.

‘I’ve Had It Up to Here’ follows. This track proves that the vocal harmonies which made ‘Blue’ so great are still around, adding a smooth layer complimenting Cuomo’s feisty fears of being ‘homogenized.’ Ultimately, this song is popping full of energy and makes me want to sing along and shake my fist rebelliously against others opinions and expectations of me.

I’m a big fan of the Brooklyn duo They Might be Giants, who often write songs based on historical happenings and science. So I loved listening to Cuomo relate the beginning of the American Revolution with witty lyrics like ‘we’re not the coins in the coffer of old King George’ in the song ‘The British Are Coming.’

Next is ‘Da Vinci’, which is one of my favorites off this album. In it Cuomo lays down a groovy acoustic chord that is reminiscent of ‘Pork and Beans.’ The content of the song reminds me of the fan favorite ‘El Scorcho’, where Cuomo is so stupefied by his special someone that any form of description, no matter how hard he tries, cannot do her justice. The geeky charm from the Blue Album is back again, and I found myself smiling while listening to this track.

A lovely duet occupies ‘Go Away’, and ‘Cleopatra’ taps into a theme that one of my favorite groups, Arcade Fire, has suggested; the idea that as we grow older we become colder people. It’s a chilling statement that captures my attention, so it was great to see Weezer use that for their style of music. However, the crowning achievement of this album comes from the ultimate track, ‘Foolish Father.’

Maybe it is my experiences growing up estranged from my father following a messy divorce between my parents, or perhaps it is the awesome exclamation from the hastily put together choir that everything will be alright in the end, but this song hits home for me. There are not a ton of post 90s Weezer songs that have made me pause and think, with a heavy heart, “wow.” Well ‘Foolish Father’ does this. Cuomo’s lyrics center around forgiving one’s father for the mistakes he’s undoubtedly made, giving the song a thoughtful and relatable tone. Guitarist Brian Bell’s harmonious echoing of the chorus adds to the grand feel of this track, while Cuomo’s guitar solo packs the final punch. The sentiment expressed in this album is most aptly put by Cuomo himself, “Those last three words [in the album title] can’t help but remind a sensitive reader of the end of themselves, of Weezer, of the world.” Triumphant is one word to describe this song.

The album extends a bit farther with a three part epic titled ‘The Futureskope Trilogy” where Cuomo relates his relationships with friends, fathers, and girls. As I was listening to this, I was reminded of other concept albums which contain musical vignettes that fit together into some kind of idea or statement. While this last set of songs isn’t as fulfilling a finish as ‘Foolish Father,’ the band rocks out in a way that reminds me of an ending of a great Beatles album.

Ultimately, EWBAITE is the Weezer album fans have been waiting for. Sporting great guitar work, slick harmonies, fantastic sound production, and an overall feeling of the quality work that went into this album, Weezer shows us that even a twenty-two year old rock band can still find ways to please themselves and their fans.

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If you are interested in purchasing the album on iTunes, go here.

If you prefer owning a physical copy, Amazon has it available here.