OK Human
by Weezer

From Keatownrodriguez 01/29/2021 19:29 | #265260 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

You love to see it. An album that I enjoyed enough to write two pages of the track by track breakdowns on.

All my favorite songs: This song could’ve flown under the radar in the grander scheme of Weezer tracks but the orchestration is really what pulls everything together. The complex chords are so emotional and gosh dang those horns in that last section of the song are amazing. Lyrically it also does a really good job of just prepping you for the theme of the album. This is the only song that examines the idea of people being draining so you look for a way to escape them which is actually really interesting in the larger scheme of the album.

Aloo Gobi: This song sort of takes a look at the monotony of daily life and the anger that comes from wanting your life to be something greater than it is. The song starts with the bombastic orchestra but throughout the songs, the strings pop in and out. Notably on the second verse you really just have piano and vocals to sort of capitalize on the minimalism of daily life. And that refrain of “What is happening to me” speaks volumes from the delivery to the way the instruments accompany it. SMOOTH TRANSITION INTO

Grapes Of Wrath: Now knowing that Rivers is tired of the monotony of his life it makes perfect sense that he would like to take a route of escapism. In this case, that’s through listening to audiobooks. You think he cares? He just don’t care.

Numbers: The heaviest hitter on this album for me. Starting off with really somber strings as Rivers sings about being too short for the team and having an IQ too low for poetry. An obvious knock at his critics that as recently as last week when my favorite songs came out, shot at Rivers for rhyming “bad, sad and mad”. As this line is read our man Pat comes in clutch with the drums to give the song some more drive that is really fitting. After the refrain of “numbers are out to get you”, we are greeted to an amazing soaring chorus reflecting the pain of these criticisms but countering them by seeking solace in others and I think that’s the beautiful message of this song. In the end, the critics are just numbers in a machine and they can’t do anything to come between real feelings between real people.

Playing My Piano: Once again returning to the idea of escapism but this time through music. It’s hard to tell if this is a romanticizing of getting lost playing music for days or a criticism of himself for wishing he could spend more time with his family. Honestly, I don’t see why it can’t be both. It’s a great thing to lose yourself in what you love but you can’t lose sight of the other things that are important in your life. However, this song does a great job of showing what that journey of playing music is really like. It starts off with slow, really heartfelt melodic lines but shifts into a more forward and driving direction as the chorus kicks in and the lyrics reflect just how much he’s getting into playing. “Pounding out the bass singing out the tune, never see the sun like I’m living in my room” incredibly relatable lines for anyone who’s gotten lost in music. The second verse is more of a reflection of once you’re already in that groove as opposed to the start of your sessions.

Mirror Image: This one is a pretty straightforward love song but I think placing it after Playing My Piano makes a ton of sense especially with my theory of that song being a criticism of himself. That’s not even taking into consideration the last few seconds of THIS song where Rivers says something to the extent of being shut out of heaven. That’s a pretty heavy statement to make just once for a few seconds on this album and I honestly don’t want to speculate too much as to why he’d say this but it’s interesting nonetheless.
Screens: The opening piano and strings are instantly catchy and help get the ball rolling for this track. I do like what they were trying to do lyrically on this track but I don’t think it lands as much as the other tracks do. Rivers takes more of “my mate is going through this thing” when actually he’s talking about himself and really everyone I guess. I just don’t think the idea of losing yourself to your phone is shown as great as it is on the rest of the album and this track is especially over before you know it. I like it but it doesn’t make as much of an impact as it could’ve with some more length and personal lyrics.

Bird With A Broken Wing: Along the lines of Eulogy For A Rock Band, we’re taken on a retrospective journey through the musical career of Weezer. I believe the broken wing referring the multiple critical failures the band has had behind them. The cat also is a reference to those same critics who put them down. Through all these experiences though, Rivers hasn’t lost his drive to sing what he has for the world, and I’m so grateful for that. The world is a better place because of his drive to create music for us. I think this song also would’ve been stunning as a closer but I don’t mind that they chose a different one.

Dead Roses: I honestly don’t know what to say about this one. It’s a little more abstract lyrically than the other songs or maybe I’m just stupid. I’ve got some ideas about the lyrics but it’s all very speculative. I do really like the line “beat you until you beg to live” but I’m not confident enough about its meaning to say anything other than, it’s a good track but it could’ve been longer.

Everything Happens For a Reason: I don’t know why this had to be its own song especially since it leads straight into here comes the rain but hey…. Everything happens for a reason.

Here Comes The Rain: A really happy go lucky song about how even after a bad day, good things will come your way. Very fun but once again, not as heavy-hitting as other tracks.

La Brea Tar Pits: A really bitter-sweet way to end the album. Sonically it’s got a resolute and accomplished sound to it but the lyrics reflect a recurring fear of fading into obscurity. This is shown the best at the chorus as the lyrics describe himself sinking to his death and desperately asking for help, yet the strings sound as if there’s nothing to be scared of and that everything will be alright in the end (where have I heard that before) As he continues to sink though we return to the idea of getting help from others. Asking to be thrown a rope as he’s sinking and how the skills of someone else can help him get farther. Then as the album closes we are left with just the orchestra slowing down and resolving into a beautiful chord.

Conclusion: When this album is acting at its most concise it’s insanely touching. The ideas of taking a step away from your obsessions to spend time with those you love and learning to balance the two is an eternal idea that we need to hear. Sometimes life is boring, sometimes people are difficult, and sometimes you get kicked down, but there’s always something or someone good that will come along. Sometimes it’s the love of your life, and sometimes it’s just a really good book. The flow of this album is also something to commend. Everything feels in its right place and while other tracks shine much brighter than others, that doesn’t make the weaker ones bad at all. Also, orchestra and Weezer were meant to be.

You know, I never liked Weezer. I think Blue Album and Pinkerton are overrated, and their stuff since has been pretty bad. However, even I must say this album is pretty great. It is very Beatles-esque. The orchestra really adds a much needed beauty to the album that pairs perfectly with Cuomo's voice. Best part of all, I think it is the length. If it was any longer than 30 minutes it would have overstayed its welcome.

Well done Weezer, you finally made something I can dig.

From Mercury TOP 100 COMMENTER 02/03/2021 17:30 | #265680 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

75/100 (A nice, sweet album with some gorgeous production and lots of beautiful string parts and some songs which are some of the best I've heard from Weezer in a long time.)

I'm not a huge Weezer fan. Can't say I have gone more deep than many, many listens to both The Blue Album and Pinkerton, and a couple listens to the Green Album and a spattering of listens to the albums since the Green Album. Listened to the White Album once and I liked it a bit but kinda forgot it existed. And most of their "bad" albums I never even tried listening to. I'm just not all that invested in the band and don't dread or anticipate any of their albums. That said, as the excitement started building for this album I did get a little swept up in it and was somewhat eagerly awaiting the release of OK Human.

When I pushed play on the album a little past midnight on Friday the 29th of January 2021 I anticipated a good pop album with some hummable tunes and perhaps I was dreading some really lame Cuomo lyrics. That was the extent of my expectation. The album, however, was better than I had expected.

There are some possibly purposefully lame Cuomo lyrics here and there, but mostly the songwriting is on point and even poignant throughout this 30 minute album. The melodies and hooks are some truly catchy and impressive feats of songwriting. I mean, on second listen to "Bird With A Broken Wing" I was already invested enough to sing along to the excellent chorus (after I checked to make sure no one was around of course).

The new addition has already been noted many times and it sure is a nice and major change to the band, and that is the Baroque elements and all the thick and amazingly produced strings. I think every song featured these sweeping string parts and every song is enriched by them. This element takes an album that may otherwise sound like another okay-to-good Weezer album and makes it memorable and elegant. Of course if the arrangements were shit then the Baroque Pop addition wouldn't have helped, but thankfully the string parts are consistently really well arranged, at least they seemed to be to these musically-untrained ears of mine.

While I can't say this album swept me off my feet nor rekindled my love of Weezer music new and old, it did provide a charming, earnest and very pleasant 30 minutes to my life. One of the better pop rock albums I've heard in a little while.

From Larcx13 01/30/2021 13:20 | #265318 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Now THIS is a record! Very well executed. A lot of strings and has a pop feel, but the kind of pop that I can enjoy. Their best record since Pinkerton maybe (though I did enjoy Everything Will Be Alright in the End), but I can compare this sound maybe to a much better version of the Green Album.

Mirror Image and Playing My Piano might have done better for me as 1 song and maybe even tying Dead Roses and Everything Happens For A Reason together as well.

That being said all the other songs have great catchy melodies and I need to give this a few more listens while reading lyrics.

Top Songs (90+): All My Favorite Songs (100), Grapes of Wrath (100), Bird With A Broken Wing (95), La Brea Tar Pits (95), Dead Roses (90), Here Comes The Rain (90), Screens (90), Aloo Gobi (90)

From pjohnsongolf TOP 100 COMMENTER 01/29/2021 05:37 | #265240 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

I’ve listened to this twice now and I love it so far. Rivers is actually delivering some very deep and personal lyrics and the strings SLAP.

And look it’s nothing like Blue or Pinkerton but the execution on this album far excels Black and Pacific Daydream and I have a feeling will enjoy this album even more as time goes on.

And man Bird With a Broken Wing hits different *sheds a tear. Numbers and Grapes of Wrath are also some early standouts.

Anyways those are my early, scattered thoughts. As soon as I fully wrap my head around this album I will comment some more. Please listen to this with an open mind and expect the best because this album is a short and pleasant listen.