In No Particular Order: Weezer Go Analog & Arlo Parks Makes Debut (Jan 29, 2021)
Uhh….What happened to January?
February has already poked its head around the corner as this year continues to fly away. Fortunately, I’ve been able to timestamp by existence through album releases, including knowing that today is the 29th because both Arlo Parks and Weezer released their new albums.
Speaking of which, I review them both for you in this week’s In No Particular Order.
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Weezer – OK Human
Pop rock
6/10
Like someone who has a hard time taking their own personal feelings seriously, the new Weezer album OK Human tries to show sincerity but instead goes about it in an eccentric way of sorts.
Rivers Cuomo and the usual gang have set their electric guitars down and instead picked up acoustic instruments and an orchestra along the way, giving the record a warmth and sincerity often reserved for more cinematic songs with full-band arrangements.
In an age of screens, long-distance connection and the rare interpersonal interaction, OK Human is the perfect soundtrack for the work-from-home types that wander from the bedroom to the kitchen everyday as they stare dreamily out of the window (re: opening verse of “Playing My Piano”).
The biggest strength of the record is Cuomo’s lyrics, from opening track “All My Favourite Songs” asking “what the hell is wrong with me” about his recent obsession for slow, sad songs, or his fascination with counting likes and followers on “Numbers”, followed immediately by his desire to slip away from his mundane family life on “Playing My Piano”. OK Human feels less like a millionaire rock star album and more like a common, middle aged washed-up musician’s diary about feeling isolated and disconnected.
If it weren’t for the novelty of the orchestral arrangements and Cuomo’s relatability in his lyrics, this album would easily fall to the side like Hurley or Death To False Metal. Other than the lead single and opener “All My Favourite Songs”, “Grapes of Wrath”, and closer “La Brea Tar Pits”, OK Human isn’t anything close to the catchy power pop that Weezer has been known to do after all these years. Instead, they’ve swapped the flashy riffs for honesty, vulnerability, and a lush orchestral arrangement. So it really depends what you are looking for on this one.
Or maybe I’m just tired of the usual, muffled comments of “everyone’s constantly glued to their screens”, “nobody interacts in person anymore”, and “I miss hugging”.
Notable tracks: “All My Favourite Songs” // “Aloo Gobi” // “Playing My Piano”
Arlo Parks – Collapsed In Sunbeams
Indie/Singer-songwriter
8/10
From the opening spoken word piece “Collapsed In Sunbeams”, it’s clear that Arlo Parks’ debut album of the same name is a delicate and refreshing breath of new age storytelling and songwriting. From a young age, Parks has been naturally drawn to poetry and creative writing, eventually turning her scribbles to experiment pathways of self-expression. Six years later, the British singer-songwriter has put together a collection of poetry and stories about the people around her, including herself.
The album’s slow and steady pace leaves room for introspection as you follow along with every word, whether it be listening about the strength of friendship on “Hope”, people-watching on “Caroline”, or the moments of self-discovery and acceptance on Clairo-featuring tune “Green Eyes”. The moments of love and intimacy shine the brightest, including “Green Eyes”, “Eugene”, and the platonic love song “Hope”.
While there isn’t much variety on the record structurally, other than the R&B rhythm of “Just Go” and sampled closer “Portra 400”, Parks’ signature sound is a soothing, breathy listen, focusing more on lyricism rather than melody and riffs.
But with her popularity growing exponentially since her debut in 2018, this first record is certainly a stepping stone towards a promising future.
Notable tracks: “Black Dog” // “Black Dog” // “Green Eyes”
