I first heard AJR’s indie pop track “Weak” last Friday as I was listening to Kiss 108 and gunning it through Boston’s Callahan Tunnel. All I’ll say is I’m lucky Siri can work hands-free because I would have been pretty bummed if I wasn’t able to figure out what this track was.
AJR’s “Weak” is the perfect blend of indie vocals and synthpop arpeggios, backed up by a stellar electronic bridge and even a key transposition of the final chorus, which is rarely used in modern hits these days.
The song is undoubtedly catchy—I think all popheads will agree on this. But I wasn’t totally sold on everything until the third listen. As I listened to “Weak” more and more, I realized how much I connected with the lyrics. To me, AJR’s hit track might be the perfect college anthem. It provides just the right level of comfort to anybody and everybody who’s recently done something so stupidly college. The song just seems to understand us university students as a collective group.
“But I’m weak, and what’s wrong with that?” Absolutely nothing, in my opinion, AJR.
After all, “Weak” does hail from their EP ‘What Everyone’s Thinking.’
People are hearing the lyrics and reflecting on their questionable decisions they may have made themselves, whether recently or years ago. It’s almost like an induced form of method acting —the vocals just happen to connect on a deep level, and the memories fall in place.
But anyway, getting out of the psychological analysis, this song simply works. The vocals are comforting. The melody is catchy. The energy just all-around makes sense in a very relevant, modern way. That’s why AJR’s “Weak” is my Spotify Pick of the Week.