Check out my album reviews for issue 105 of Smash Magazine, including Teenage Wrist and Weezer.
Teenage Wrist – Earth is a Black Hole Album Review
On first listen, Teenage Wrist fans may write off the band’s sophomore full-length album Earth is a Black Hole. Beloved originally for their nostalgic, grungy, 90s alternative sound, the more upbeat tracks that open the new album are off-putting, particularly the single “Yellowbelly.” However, the change in sound is understandable when you factor in that the band lost their bassist/vocalist Kamtin Mohager, who served as frontman, before writing for this album began. Without their previous creative lead, the remaining two members were keen to evolve the band’s shoegaze sound to be more modern, and that’s what you get on Earth is a Black Hole. But, while it may take a listen or two, if you really give the album a fair shot, the band fans once loved is still in there—albeit layered under additional production. Start the album at the anthem-like “Silverspoon” and play it through to the ethereal, enveloping “Stella,” skipping the rest. You won’t be sorry.
Weezer – OK Human Album Review
At just over thirty minutes, Weezer’s fourteenth studio album OK Human is a quick play, but one that takes all of our sullen emotions from this past year and lifts them up with an orchestra. From the first single, “All My Favorite Songs” (noted as slow and sad), to the surprisingly catchy despite its title “Grapes of Wrath,” this album is loaded with timely references, including rocking Audible, stressing over going to Zoom interviews, and staring at screens. Darker than past albums, OK Human was originally supposed to be released after the band’s upcoming Van Weezer album that was to lead into their Hella Mega Tour with Green Day and Fall Out Boy. The tour, obviously postponed, made the band flip the releases, and in this case, timing really is everything as OK Human may not have landed with fans at any other time. Either way, we’re getting two stylistically different but ultimately Weezer-y Weezer albums in the span of five months. Hip hip.