Atlantic Vinyl & CDs

Review: Timing is everything. Weezer's latest addition to the oeuvre is testa-ment to just how far it's possible to go wrong. Spoiler alert: this has nothing to do with the quality of the music. Instead, this ode to the heavy metal giants of days past simply managed to get caught up in the COVID-19 chaos of 2020. First pegged for release ahead of a stadium tour alongside Green Day and Fall Out Boy, dates and record were post-poned for 12 months. Now we have the record, but none of the shows as they're moved again, this time to 2022.

By which time the guys this is a direct tribute to - title and font reference the late, great Eddie Van Halen - will have been gone for some time. Thankfully, then, the album has enough strength not just to stand alone without the huge gigs to showcase it, but also long enough to survive until those gigs can happen.

Review: It was always a pretty weird idea for Weezer to turn their attention on Vivaldi's violin concertos, The Four Seasons, and release a four-part EP series inspired by those classical landmarks. An out of the blue concept given this Rivers Cuomo-led outfit aren't exactly famed for waxing lyrical about the legendary work.

Nevertheless, fans should not be put off, nor should they expect to find a collection of tracks that look to rework Vivaldi via geek surf rock. Well, OK, maybe two of the songs here do exactly that - 'Opening Night' and 'Lawn Chair'. Or at least they both have string and guitar movements that look to pay homage to the master composer. But, for the most part, this is Weezer doing what Weezer do: sounding very much like Weezer.

Review: Yes' magnum opus, Fragile. A cornerstone in the genre of prog rock, and arguably the instant go-to for anyone even so much as vaguely desiring a deeper peruse of the genre once they're done smelling Pink Floyd's farts. Full of proverbial lyrics and intriguing (not to mention masterfully mixed) instrumental choices - Rick Wakeman's keys are a highlight - the album cuts an overall clean and fantastical sound, usually oscillating between upbeat prog-funk ('Roundabout') and mathy ballads ('South Side Of The Sky'). Reissued directly from the horse's mouth, we can guarantee top-tier audio quality on this one.