Weezer released their six-track EP Christmas With Weezer in December 2008 to some less than favourable reviews, which were both ungenerous and grossly unfair. For haters, it was a great time to throw insults at the band that had just pushed out their sixth studio album Weezer (The Red Album), and had continued to depart from their classic early sound. For fans, it was a fun and joyous reprieve from the harsh onslaught the band had faced for evolving and not flatlining.
‘We Wish You A Merry Christmas’ starts things off with exuberance, though in true Weezer style, Rivers Cuomo manages to bring some fitting angst to the lines “we won’t go until we get some,” figgy pudding that is, which sounds about right considering how delicious it is.
The EP takes adored Christmas carols and gives them the Weezer makeover with lots of fuzzy, distorted guitars and power-pop vocals. ‘O Holy Night’ is the brightest star in this collection of songs, with the natural fragility in Cuomo’s voice perfectly complementing the beauty of this loved carol.
If you’re going to get festive and listen to some carols this Christmas, let them be these pop-rock Weezer versions.
8/10
