Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By Weezer, Atlantic Records 2019.
It has finally arrived. Weezer released their highly anticipated and much delayed The Black Album on 1 March.
This album was first talked about as the follow-up to 2016’s The White Album.
It was variously slated for release in 2017 and then again last year however the project was side-lined as other projects took precedence.
Lead singer/writer, Rivers Cuomo, has dropped many hints about the feel of the album over the years setting up an expectation that the sound would be much darker than their previous albums.
On first impression the mood created is not what I would expect from the colour black.
All the trademark Weezer elements of memorable melody and classic pop hooks are still there and if anything the album’s sound is so colourful that it’s iridescent.
There is however a lovely lyrical cynicism.
The music is saying one thing while the lyrics are presenting a darker image.
The opening song and first single, Can’t Knock The Hustle, sets the tone for a rollercoaster emotional ride. It’s a funky blend of classy Weezer pop and the inclusion of elements as diverse as Beck and Franz Ferdinand.
The second track, Zombie Bastards, is the second single from the album.
It flows into the third track High As a Kite creating an interesting juxtaposition between the two.
From die, die, you Zombie bastards to the escapist, I’m high as a kite floating high above and I’m not coming down anytime soon.
I have listened to the album four times now in preparation for writing this review and I believe that this is probably the best album they’ve released.
Weezer has reinvented themselves a number of times and The Black Album is a long way from their early Blue Album and hits like Undone and Beverley Hills.
The darkness it contains comes with an older and more experienced outlook on life. One where some of the damage floats to the surface and is evident to see.
Weezer: The Black Album is not a piece of pop confectionery, it rewards multiple listens and reveals layers of musical and lyrical complexity that will keep you engaged.
