Weezer fans have been through a lot. From “Make Believe” on, it was a dark age for the angsty rock group. Just mention the horrendous “The Red Album” and watch any fan cringe.

So, when the “The White Album” was announced, it was fairly met with skepticism even though Weezer’s previous album, “Everything Will Be Alright In the End,” was a step in the right direction.

“The White Album” is good. Let’s just throw that out there. It is musically a solid album.

Unfortunately, sound isn’t the only thing that matters.       The abum lacks punch. “The Blue Album” and “Pinkerton,” had souls that were just oozing from their perfect garage rock roots. “The While Album,” simply doesn’t have that.

The first song of the album, “California Kids,” is a high point of the album. It combines strong lyrics with a chorus that will leave you humming after just one listen. It also has a dip that will leave you craving more.

“Thank God for Girls,” is an intriguing song. At first listen, it sounds as if Weezer has fallen back to the pop garbage we had prayed they had stopped making.

But after continual listens, it holds all the stuff that made us fall in love with Weezer in the first place.

“(Girl We Got) a Good Thing,” is so Beach Boys, you can’t help but grin. It is a little light on lyrics and slightly cliché, but all in all it will satisfy the beach vibe this album so dearly craves.

“Do You Wanna Get High?” is weird in the best way possible. Never before has Weezer returned to their “Pinkerton” roots so well.

When lead singer River Cuomo bellows the chorus, you can just hear the pain in his voice. The lyrics use language that you just want to wrap yourself in. It’s easily one of the most tortured songs in the album.

“King of the World,” alongside “California Kids,” is a highlight of the album. This song, more than any other, is a harmony of vocals, guitar, and drums.

At first glance, it’s a poppy song about someone who owns the world. In reality, it is about Cuomo’s wife, Kyoko Ito, and how he wants to protect her from the bad things in life.

The title of “L.A. Girlz” with, believe it or not a z, is cringeworthy, yes. Thankfully, the title is the worst part of the song.

More than any song on the album, “L.A. Girlz” shows the range of Cuomo’s voice. It is another strong addition to the album.

The album finale, “Endless Bummer,” is a somber melody about how nothing goes as planned and how he just couldn’t wait for summer to end. It is mostly acoustic and that compliments the tone nicely. It puts a bow on the whole album.

I give this album 3 out of 4 paws just because while it is a far sight better than recent Weezer albums, it still misses what made us fall in love with Weezer in the first place.