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Cuomo still doesn't allow himself the freedom to venture in these directions on Weezer's albums, and that's what makes both volumes of Alone quite valuable: they're as eccentric as they are accessible, portraits of a pop hermit letting his mind wander wherever it may take him.
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It may be because of its unevenness that Alone II is an intriguing look into Cuomo's complicated mind, because unlike his largely homogenized Weezer albums that have stuck to the center of late, these recordings shed light into every dark corner.
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Cuomo pinpoints melodies as crucial outlets for depression, guilt, ecstasy. He even turns a seemingly facile collaboration with Jermaine Dupri (who knew?) into an autumnal catharsis--the best Weezer song you never heard.
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Other tracks--from the joyful 'The Prettiest Girl in the Whole Wide World' to the anxiety ode 'My Brain Is Working Overtime'--feel slightly undercooked. But they offer an intimate look at Cuomo's songwriting process --and proof that he truly needs his bandmates.
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Between this and the first "Alone" installment, there's enough gristle for the third-best Weezer album as yet unmade. Cuomo's Patron problems are beatable--it's the "Pork & Beans" that's really derailed him lately.
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Alone II just isn’t as strong as the first volume.
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Cuomo’s notes contain detailed autobiographical backstories for each song, some of which are probably the best Weezer never recorded.
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Alone was worth the occasional cringe to show Cuomo's experiments and sonic baby photos through the years, especially after three studiously formulaic records.
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The trilogy signals a deep strangeness in this tour through his psyche. Fortunately, it has a fairly shredding soundtrack.