Review Summary: Don’t write off Billy Cobb as a Weezer fanatic until after you hear this album.
Billy Cobb. He’s a huge Weezer fan, as evidenced by his tribute EP Zerwee. I listened to his first two full length albums expecting more of that, and instead of that, found lots of filler and someone not quite that good stuff songwriting wise.
This album is different.
Right off the bat you’re treated to a minute of background noise, supposedly at a train station, to set the mood of the album. Then we hear that he has no f***ing idea what he’s doing in college.
The rest of the album follows suit in songs about relationship woes, longing for times about childhood nostalgia, and a rather blunt song about the over sexualization of women.
The way Billy Cobb goes about addressing these themes is so spirited that I can’t help following along with him. This isn’t necessarily original at all, (see The Dismemberment Plan’s “Emergency and I” for similar themes) but Billy Cobb splices these ideas in a captivating enough way for me to give it a high commendation.
It’s hard to fathom the same person who wrote the wandering, confusing mess that was “Abstract” wrote this album.
It’s about as emo as it gets, but it is great emo indie-tinged rock that just works so well.
Easily his best album as far as I’m concerned. Give it a listen if all you associate Billy Cobb with is Weezer worship.
