ALBUM REVIEW: Are We Having Fun? – Weathers
Alternative pop-rock band WEATHERS are back with their third studio album Are We Having Fun?. The trio, known for their fusion of grunge rock and pop synths, have stated their love of nostalgia when it comes music and movies from the 80s and 90s, while at the same time going through life events relating to mental health and heartbreak. And the result? An album that’s all too relatable and makes you want to sing along.
As the album opens with One Of A Kind, we’re greeted by a grungy guitar that transitions into an upbeat pop-rock song that makes you involuntarily bop your head along. And to tie it all together, we have self-deprecating lyrics that will be all too relatable to many of us. It brings to mind the likes of 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER on their debut album, along with some comparison to Robbers by THE 1975 when it comes to the beat. Catchy, fun, relatable lyrics; so far so good.
Listening to this record feels like we’re back in 2013 – 2015, like we’re back in a simpler time. Some tracks are heavily reminiscent of pop-rock songs that came out around that time; ALL CAPS is a pop-rock track that sees a return to the 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER comparison, along with some HARRY STYLES-esque elements; She Hates Me sounds like what would happen if NICK JONAS’ Jealous met M83; and Take Me Home is a catchy pop song that strongly brings to mind bands like ONE DIRECTION and THE VAMPS. It’s hard not to have a smile on your face.
That’s not to say that this album is purely pop focused. For example, I’m Just Sayin’ is an anthemic track with a guitar heavy chorus reminiscent of WEEZER’s Beverly Hills; and Where Do I Sign? is bass focused, creating a rather sultry vibe with commentary on the concept of selling one’s soul for fame that draws comparison to BADFLOWER.
It would be easy enough to do a track-by-track review on each song as we enjoyed listening to this record so much. But as there isn’t time for that, we’ll end this with two other songs that stood out to us; Drama Queen is a pop track that appears to be a diss towards a toxic ex with criticism of said girl’s attitude and actions without going down the rabbit hole of misogyny (trust us when we say it happens a lot); and Goodbye To My Friends, which is probably the most serious and moody track on the album, that focuses on saying goodbye to friendships in your life. It’s sad yet it’s not cheesy and is able to fit in nicely with the rest of the track list.
In short, Are We Having Fun? is catchy, feel-good, and nostalgic in the best way possible. And to answer the title: yes, we had a lot of fun listening to this.
Rating: 8/10
Are We Having Fun? is out now via Sumerian Records.
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