Weezer Carefully Constructs Cheese In Poppy 'Raditude'

Weezer has always had a heavy pop influence underneath all those emotionally charged lyrics and the indie/emo labels regularly thrown upon it. This influence comes to the forefront in the band's latest album Raditude, a name penned by The Office's Rainn Wilson, released Nov. 3. The beats are heavy, the choruses are catchy, and no song goes without a definite hook - perhaps a reflection of the many other artists who lent a hand.

The All-American Rejects collaborated with Weezer to create "Put Me Back Together." With its slowed down beats and quieter singing this is the closest thing to a ballad on the album. It's an easy one to get stuck in your head, but the lyrics are pretty mainstream; they describe the feeling of self-loathing common after a tough breakup.

Hip-hop giant Jermaine Dupri also contributed to the album with songs like "Let It All Hang Out," which is full of electric guitars and riffs as basic and unassuming as the lyrics. Unfortunately, Dupri's expertise does little to create a unique sound, as this track is quite reminiscent of all the others on the album. Even Lil' Wayne, a professional at injecting pop where it seems unexpected, is featured in the track "Can't Stop Partying," which consists of lyrics could be found in any chart-topper of the past decade such as "Screw rehab/I love my addiction." Yet, the outcome is far from extraordinary. Being bold enough to try something new is admirable for any band, but this combination of artists, at least in this song, just doesn't cut it.

Consequently, the album really had no choice but to sound like it was made for the radio and MTV. In fact, before we know it I'm sure we'll be seeing a Raditude song accompanied by a music video in which the band is playing at what looks like a high school party, and the camera focuses in on randomly scattered girls in bikinis. The album opener and first single, "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To," is also an unmistakably fun song, and the listener really has no option but to engage in some rhythmically conscious foot taps or head nods.

Weezer sticks with its standard 10 tracks to complete the album and returned to work with Jackknife Lee, who produced their hit "Pork and Beans" as well as various other recognizable songs from artists in genres across the board. Raditude is an album for fans of "Beverly Hills" and "Dope Nose" rather than those more partial to "Say It Ain't So." It's all about the beat and the sing-a-long-ability. It may not be Weezer's most intelligent or thought-provoking album to date, but it's clear that was never the point. Instead, it appears the album was created to make you move, and that is a goal it achieves.

Sure, the newest album won't live up to everyone's expectations, most likely those who became fans early on - those who discovered the band when they had a very different sound and set out to create noticeably unique music with an emotionally charged message to spread. This is no accident on Weezer's part. This is a Grammy-winning group of musicians, and there's no doubt that the album they created is the album they intended to create. 6 out of 10