Weezer
Raditude
Geffen
November 3, 2009

By Rachael Bentley

There has been a lot of excitement about Weezer’s new album Raditude after their previous record, The Red Album, was a huge hit with songs like “Pork and Beans” and “Troublemaker” hitting the top of the charts.

While listening to Raditude with my dorm neighbor we both sat in a state of shock as we heard the collaboration of Weezer and Lil Wayne. I will attest that it’s totally normal for bands, who have been around long enough to have multiple albums to search for a new sound and explore new horizons, but as my friend and I listened to “Can’t Stop Partying” with our jaws on the ground, we decided that Weezer had gone just a bit too far from their original and lovable sound.

Lil Wayne, as always, added his insightful lyrics on getting girls and drinking goose, with his slurry, synthesized singing. “Can’t Stop Partying” is this album’s first single to hit the radio. Perhaps Weezer believed that they may have to compete with an edge, by incorporating the same sound that has gotten Lady Gaga and Britney Spears to the top of the Charts.

But as I listened to the rest of the album, it saddens me as a Weezer fan to say that it didn’t give me much optimism for the album’s overall quality. Almost every other song was either filled with corny lyrics or bad beats or was a love song. There were moments of applause with songs such as “I Want You Too” and “The Girl Got Hot.” which hold onto the same humor in Weezer’s older work. “The Girl Got Hot” makes you unable to not tap your foot and nod along and gives hope to all those teenage girls who want to grow out of their awkward phase.

And I will admit there were moments where the new poppy sound worked for them, but it did not make up for the mess that was “In the Mall.” which made me want to jump out of my 5th floor dorm window. On a final note, I would like to dedicate this short verse to Weezer, to express my true feelings about Raditude:

Weezer, you will now be known to me as “Weezey,” for you have given up your totally rad sound for something that is nothing short of sleazy.