Scott Shriner Defends Weezer's Decision To Keep Mixing It Up

They've thrown us some curveballs in their quarter-century existence, but never have Weezer made such a complete sonic shift as they have with their new opus Pacific Daydream.

Set at a fictional beachside bar inside frontman Rivers Cuomo's head, where 2016 predecessor The White Album used the beach as a vehicle to rediscover their brash '90s rock roots, Pacific Daydream finds Weezer in a more mature and reflective mood.

There's still an abundance of hooks, melodies and Beach Boys-inspired harmonies, only now the infectious, anthemic rock of yore has been replaced by cruisy, laidback beach jams. Crunchy power chords are eschewed in favour of cleaner guitar sounds slathered in echo and reverb, while Cuomo mines his diary for some typically introspective self-analysis as if opening up to friends over holiday cocktails and margaritas.

It still somehow sounds defiantly Weezer, yet - although they've made plenty of stylistic detours over the journey, and no two consecutive records have ever really sounded the same - as a piece it still represents the most significant stylistic left-turn in their fascinating career.

"I think it's really bold and different, and I'm really happy that we're doing something that's a little more dance-friendly or groove-based," offers bassist Scott Shriner. "Plus I love to hear Rivers' vocals sounding a little different with all the effects and stuff on it. There's good songs and great middle-sections, it's really awesome.

"[In terms of the rhythm section] Pat [Wilson]'s favourite drummer is John Bonham from Led Zeppelin and I grew playing Motown and R&B and all these other different styles of music, so it's easier for me to play this way than it would be to play more straight, old-school Weezer style - just kinda down-stroke with a pick the whole time - so I feel very comfortable where we are now."

Pacific Daydream was originally discussed in the press as being a darker companion-piece to The White Album - The Black Album, natch - but these plans were organically usurped along the way.

"There was a batch of songs around the time of The White Album, and all of the positive, cheery songs went into one folder called 'Beach' and the other songs that were a little darker and a little bit more minor key-based went into a folder called 'Black'," Shriner recalls. "I think that it just seems like the overall tone of the world and the country - at least over here - is that people really want to have a good time.

"We had a lot of success with [lead single] Feels Like Summer, and I feel like a lot of people who aren't even Weezer fans have come up to me and said how much they enjoyed that. So we never throw away songs, but it seems like we're just going to continue focusing on this positive side right now."

When Shriner mentions people wanting to "have a good time", does he mean in terms of wanting to forget all the bad stuff dominating the news?

"Yeah dude, the news sucks," he stresses. "Weezer isn't a political band, but there's a lot of ill feeling between me and my friends about some of the stuff that's been going on, and I think it just seems like people need to have a break and have a good time. There are a lot of bands that have a lot politically to say and do that really well, but I think that Weezer at this time is a band that you come and see when you want to have a good time."

Whether you're an acolyte of this new direction or pining for the halcyon days of yore, there's no doubt that Weezer remain one of the most heavily-scrutinised bands of all time, with every musical utterance held up against their cherished early music for dissected comparison.

"Yeah, why is everybody busting our balls all the time for? Jesus Christ," Shriner laughs amidst obvious frustration. "It's fine with me, it's just that you have these people who are so set on wanting a certain kind of sound, and then every time we put out a record they're just, like, 'No! No! No!' How can this still be happening after all this time? I just have to laugh.

"If you love AC/DC it's like there's no risk, if there's a new AC/DC you know what it's going to be like and you're totally stoked. But by now, if you think that Weezer's going to put out something that's consistent with the past or 'take you back' then I just wonder what you've been smoking."