What makes this album so brilliant is that Rivers Cuomo isn’t really doing anything different from prior works- he’s still devoted to tacky songs that are catchy and simple. But he knew people would not like this album, not because it is “sucky” but because fans, with their “authoritative” blogs, feel they deserve a “Weezer sounding album.” Why can’t they be excited about perfectly legitimate pop songs that include themes these same fans obsess about on the Internet? Irony. Sarcasm. Snuggies?

It’s the exploitation of these long-held, unrealistic expectations that fans have of bands releasing new albums that Cuomo and Weezer are getting at. After all, there are some harsh things said about these artists who put a lot into these albums. On top of that, few people still buy music. There is no indication that Weezer put forth less effort into ‘Raditude’ than any of their other works, but fans see it that way because it isn’t what they expected or wanted.

That being said, whether or not you like ‘Raditude,’ Weezer is keeping it fun. And despite all the things I said about Weezer fans, there are many fans who do appreciate this album.