I don’t think it’s controversial to say that Weezer’s most recent output has been less than stellar. As with any artist, die hard fans are going to cry out, “I wish they’d just make a new album that sounds just like their best album!” However, Weezer is a such a unique position that not only do they ignore those cries, but instead they lean into them and produce music they hope die hard fans will hate. This places Weezer fans in a difficult spot. Do they continue to like a band that intentionally discredits their opinions or do they turn away and give up on them? Sure you can keep relistening to the classics, but what if you want to scratch that new music itch? Enter Zerwee, a project created by artist Billy Cobb.
Zerwee Part 1, or the White Album Deluxe Deluxe, was released in May 2019, because, as Cobb states, “got tired of waiting for Weezer to release another album so I made one myself.” The entire Zerwee project slips between an honest homage to the “glory days” of Weezer, with playful satire songs throughout. One of Part 1’s strongest songs, “1955”, is probably the most ridiculous on the EP. Lyrics like “We can sip our milkshakes and theorize about the moon” poke, no push, fun at the absurd lyricism Weezer has leaned into these days. (I’m looking at you “Thank God For Girls”). That being said, it’s not a bad listening experience, which at this point is doing better than many of Weezer’s actual releases.
Perhaps I’m biased as a shameful Pinkerton stan, but Zerwee Part 2 is where the project shines. Zerwee Part 1 is self-referential and a bit one note, but Part 2 really feels like an alternate timeline version of Pinkerton. I found myself relistening to the album frequently. There’s a lot of novelty in this project, sure, but Part 2 felt like a perfect Pinkerton substitute, without bringing me back to my pathetic high school memories.
When you’re 17 and feeling unlovable, Rivers Cuomo’s voice exclaiming “Why bother? It’s gonna hurt me / It’s gonna kill when you desert me” really resonates. But as the years go on, it starts to be a bit sad. Not in a depressed way, but in a Mr.-Cuomo-You-Were-26-When-This-Album-Came-Out kinda way. What may feel like an appropriate response to these feelings at the time fall a bit flat with some hindsight. The album takes itself way too seriously and feels incredibly bad for itself, too. “Pink Triangle” felt like a joke-y scenario until you realize that it’s serious. Zerwee Part 2, however, knows exactly what it’s about and makes the singer the butt of the joke, not the victim. It captures the joke-y vibe of an initial listen to Pinkerton, but without the guilt you feel once you inspect “Across The Sea”’s lyrics.
On “I Wish That I Was Younger”, the song breaks down into a KK slider rendition of the chorus. Obviously this is a departure from the inspiration, but it makes me wonder; If Rivers Cuomo was born in 1995 and released Pinkerton today would he include something like this? The loner, why-don’t-I-have-a-girlfriend archetype that Cuomo detailed back in 1996 still exists today, with some slight changes. The archetype today has a love of video games and memes and not taking themselves so seriously. So, if those were the conditions that raised him instead, why wouldn’t he have a KK Slider feature?
I don’t think I’ve ever had more fun with a Weezer album than I had with Zerwee. Both 1 and 2 bring out the best parts of Weezer, without all the baggage. It’s fun, silly music that I don’t have to think too much about. While this remains a parody album, the comment section for the Youtube video is surprisingly positive. I think it speaks to fact that fans of Weezer just want music that doesn’t try too hard to be so serious or so antagonistic. This album makes me yearn for a reality where Weezer made music for Weezer fans, not against Weezer fans. I think it solidifies the fact that Weezer’s legacy is important to music history but it still brings up the question: Does Weezer still make good music? I don’t know. But do they inspire better music? Absolutely.
Check out our previous Weezer Week article here!
