Weezer (White Album) – Weezer

Weezer, the popular alternative rock band that formed 23 years ago has just released their tenth studio album.  The “White Album” is the fourth self titled album.  The first, “Blue Album,” was one of the most popular put out by the band that featured their hit song “Buddy Holly.”   This Los Angeles native band put together this brand new album to have a very “beach party” type of vibe.  The songs are upbeat, positive, and make you feel like you are living life under the California sun.  Even the album artwork is a picture of the band posing in front of a lifeguard tower on the beach.

The album features ten tracks with an eleventh bonus track running just under 35 minutes in length.  “Weezer (White Album)” had three songs released as singles prior to the April 1st release.  Two of the songs were put out to the public in 2015, before the band even announced that they would be making a new album.  Their third single, “King of the World,” was released as a promotional single to announce the album.  Fans and critics alike have generally happy with the album.  This is not their best work, but it is a nice blend of music.  The short length makes the album into a casual listening experience.  After two years since the last album, Weezer’s ability to make fresh instrumentals under positive lyrics will always be considered a breath of fresh air to the music industry.  At best, the album is average with some upsides.  Nothing on the album is fully negative, but it lacks the creativity that some of their past albums have had.

Weezer announced that they will be touring with Panic! At the Disco this Summer.  The tour will be stopping in Scranton and Pittsburgh, PA.  TWeezer has also been seen atop some popular festival lineups for the Summer.  They continue to be one of the top bands in their genre and it is my guess that they will remain that way for a while to come.

Average Critic Rating: 72/100
My Rating: 75/100

Slime Season – Young Thug

Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia comes the 24 year old rapper, Young Thug.  Thug has yet to officially release a full studio album but does have five largely known mixtapes.  More specifically, Young Thug has a mixtape series titled “Slime Series” with his most recent being released last month.  Young Thug has an album scheduled to come out at some point in the Summer of 2016.  This southern rapper has been made most popular by his work with other rappers like T.I., Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka Flame, Migos and many more.

“Slime Series 3” is just a short lead up to what is to come, but there are still some high points to the mixtape.  First though, I will focus on the downsides.  The mixtape is only 28 minutes long.  It is not often that a rap album hits the one hour mark, but they are also generally over 30 minutes long.  The mixtape does only offer eight tracks so the short length is expected.  Another minor problem with the mixtape is that its lyrical content is pretty shallow and meaningless.  With rappers like Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, Drake and Kanye West still making the music they do, it is hard to expect every rapper to hit that caliber of lyrical content.  Plus, this music is meant for the club scene.  I could see every one of these songs playing in a bar or club type of atmosphere.  That brings me to the positives of the mixtape.  The beats will get your blood pumping. They are easy to rap along with.  Young Thug also has an interestingly unique voice that sets him out from a crowd.  On this mixtape, Young Thug seems to show that he is still growing as an artist while also staying on the same track that has helped gain him popularity in the hip hop world.

If you enjoy this mixtape, stay tuned for his first full length studio album to come out in the next couple months.  With the new album will come a tour that does not make a stop in Pittsburgh, though it will be in New York, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia.

Average Critic Rating: 76/100
My Rating: 70/100