Four years ago, Weezer songwriter Rivers Cuomo decided that the meticulously documented angst beloved by his die-hard fans wasn't impressing enough people, so he stocked his next two albums with somewhat catchy yet largely meaningless pop songs instead. On their new effort, "Make Believe," he has returned -- for the most part -- to writing lyrics that matter. Unfortunately, he appears to have acquired social skills and the ability to care about the feelings of other people.

"Make Believe" consists of two types of songs. There are the self-consciously funny rockers "Beverly Hills" and "We Are All On Drugs," both one-note jokes that you can guess from their titles. The rest are sincere, sweet . . . and not the least bit funny. Cuomo, a man who once whined about lesbians and swooned over 18-year-old Japanese girls, is now working hard to understand both sides of his relationships and how he can better hold up his end of the bargain. It's a pity.

The new album's saving grace is the classic Weezer music, which reasserts itself with a roar and a whine. Thanks to Rick Rubin's production, this is their best sounding recording since their 1994 self-titled debut. The plaintive melodies practically beg to be sung or shouted along with -- though you sometimes might want to make up your own irrational desperation whenever Cuomo's conclusions come off as too mature.