At this point, Weezer’s sophomore album Pinkerton may as well accompany the Dictionary.com definition for “problematic fave,” as the infamous record saw the band reaching its early peak of grunge-fueled power pop as Rivers Cuomo sings about, well, maybe it’s better not to think about it. It’s these dual influences of a flawless unwashed-flannel-clad sound and lyrics leaving plenty of room to improve upon that inspired Cleveland’s Total Downer to pen a reverent homage with “Star Rek’t,” a track that immediately recalls a song like “Why Bother” even before vocalist Andy Schumann comes in with a pitch-perfect Rivers impression.
“I think that album is really immature,” vocalist Schumann explains. “I wanted to offer an alternative way of grappling with similar feelings of loneliness, discomfort with sex, and yearning to be understood that isn’t rooted in unkindness, misogyny, and racial fetishism. I want this to be a song you can put on if you are experiencing sexual desire but also struggling to see your body as anything but a dangerous weapon.”
The track arrives with the news that Total Downer’s debut album Caretaker is set for release on January 27 via Just Because Records. It also arrives with a lyric video that sees the band struggle to use technology that was fairly common in 1996—watch that below.
