“Pacific Daydream” is the 11th studio album created by the alternative rock band Weezer. Weezer is widely known for its hit singles “Beverly Hills” and “Island in the Sun.” “Pacific Daydream” is a standard rock album. Often, Weezer uses heavy synth in most of its songs to amplify the beat, and this occurs in almost every song on this new album.
Although the album features a collection of diverse songs from the more upbeat and cheerful “Feels Like Summer” to the slower and more reflective “QB Blitz,” few of the 10 tracks grabbed my attention for very long. Nor were many tracks on the album objectively sharpened or superior when compared to those of other alternative bands or even to songs on Weezer’s previous albums.
The major exception is the track “Weekend Woman,” which contains unique guitar riffs and a memorable chorus. Along with the solid chords, the repetition of the riffs is what makes the song unique and a fun listen as Weezer adds a lot to the beat.
Overall, the album is not bad, but it lacks the sophistication, evolution and polish that a band’s 11th album should carry with it.
However, there are some definite positives to the album. First, the songs “Wonder Woman” and “QB Blitz,” as previously mentioned, show signs of evolution and polish. Weezer often sticks with a few chords, especially on guitar and just rearranges them to fit the song that they are trying to produce.
Second, the album is largely about summer in Southern California, hence the name, and includes many references to the Los Angeles area that many Angelenos would appreciate. This regional undertone improves the songs because it adds deeper meaning to the lyrics than otherwise would have been present. Some references include “being a westside kid” and “the Metro screaming by” in the song “Beach Boys.”
New fans of Weezer or alternative music in general will find that the tracks are a good introduction to the genre.
Overall, Weezer’s “Pacific Daydream” is the type of album you put on a long drive but do not listen to with high attentiveness.
