Weezer keeps the train rolling

If you ask any music elitist about Weezer, they'll tell you they haven't made a decent record in ten years. For some reason, it has always been true that you get more cool points for only liking a band's earlier material. Unfortunately for these people, they have been missing out on some really wonderful material.

With the possible exception of 2005's sloppy "Make Believe", Weezer have really suffered very few technical missteps. They have been a band clear on their mission from day one: they write quirky pop songs about how awkward life truly is. Rivers Cuomo and crew have never pretended to be anything they are not and remain true to their formula even when they're experimenting (a la last year's collaboration with Lil Wayne on "Can't Stop Partying"). Weezer came into 2010 riding high on the successes of their last 2 albums, "The Red Album" and "Raditude." Thye have certainly hit a creative stride in the last few years and with the help of a few different producers, including Cameron Webb (Silverstein, Social Distortion) and John Goodmanson (Matchbook Romance, The Blood Brothers) they have created "Hurley", continuing in the same vein as their last couple albums.

"Hurley" is vintage Weezer: the hooks are big, the songs are short and to the point and they take a few weird risks. "Hurley" also marks the most collaborating musicians ever to appear on a Weezer record. Actor Michael Cera, the entire crew from Jackass, Ryan Adams and Semisonic's Dan Wilson (Yes, the man who wrote "Closing Time") all contributed to the album, with fair results.

Lead single "Memories", which the Jackass crew participated in, is a little corny even for Rivers Cuomo but it goes down nicely in conjunction with second track "Ruling Me" and the solid, 80's tinged "Trainwrecks." The album lags a little more than their last couple efforts, like the tedious acoustic track "Unspoken" and the clumsy closer "Time Flies," but for the most part, this is a standard Weezer good time. "Where's My Sex?," with it's snarly vocals and grungy chorus would not have been out of place on every hipster's favorite Weezer album, "Pinkerton."

All in all, aside from the creepy cover art, "Hurley" is a perfectly viable entry into the Weezer catalogue. The album showcases a band in the midst of a recent creative streak who aren't afraid to try anything, and it's that fearlessness that has allowed Weezer to stick around as long as they have. They realize it's not so much about reinventing yourself every couple records, it's more about tweaking what you know works and giving your fans more of it. People love Weezer because in a weird, twisted way Weezer understand them. There is no unrealistic poetry or guitar wankery; they just give it to you how it is. These are pop songs written the way that people actually talk and the way life actually happens. Weezer are kind of the breakout indie film to the rest of the rock world's big budget major motion pictures. They get by with their hooks and sappy lyrics and they do a damn fine job. Is "Hurley" the pinnacle of Weezer's already illustrious music career? Of course not. But it's nice to see that 16 long years after the release of "Buddy Holly", they've still got it. Hopefully, they have a few more albums in them. Pick up "Hurley" at Best Buy for $9.99 this week.