It’s been five years since Pinkerton came out and seven since the self-titled debut was released, but judging by the frenetic reaction the group received at Coachella, Weezer is still amazingly popular. Now with the self-titled third album (its pea-green cover earning it the name The Green Album), Weezer eschews the mild thrash of Pinkerton and the tension release of its first album for a short but sweet record that doesn’t sound much different than anything you’ll hear on KJEE. Clocking in at just over thirty minutes, The Green Album shows guitarist/singer/main songwriter Rivers Cuomo’s amazing knack for melody in full bloom as the foursome stomp through 10 quick, energetic numbers.

Yet, there is something disappointingly homogenous and safe about the album, with little to distinguish each song from the others lyrically, musically and structurally. The grungy, loud-soft formula utilized so well on “My Name is Jonas” and “Holiday” off of The Blue Album is radically toned down, if used at all. Besides the chirpy sing-a-long “Island in the Sun,” Cuomo never turns off his distortion pedal through the two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half minute songs. The production also frequently hides his girl-leaves-boy lyrics in the background.

Even if The Green Album isn’t too daring sonically, there is still something insatiably likeable about it. Chord changes are just chord changes, but what makes Weezer a band of such aplomb are Cuomo’s winning melodies and cheery, doo-wop sensibility.