THE ANNOUNCEMENT
Weezer's 20th studio album drops August 21, and it's another self-titled record — this time unofficially called The Gold Album because apparently seven color-coded Weezer albums wasn't enough *‡. The lead single "We Might As Well Be Strangers" features Wednesday's Karly Hartzman on vocals, and co-producer Kenneth Blume says he wanted to make "the most violent Weezer album ever" *‡. Back-to-basics sessions with all four members in a rehearsal space, live drums, and Rivers Cuomo writing with Patrick Wilson for the first time since 1994 — either this is a genuine reset or we're about to get another round of Weezer being Weezer *.
THE DETAILS
- Album releases August 21 via Reprise/Warner Records, marking their 16th studio album and 20th overall release *
- Ten tracks including previously released "Shine Again" from April plus "Say Yes," "Don't Make It Weird," and "The Show Must Go On" *‡
- Co-produced by Klas Åhlund and Kenneth Blume (formerly Kenny Beats), recorded with all four members playing live drums together *‡
- First new Weezer album since Van Weezer in 2021, not counting the four-part SZNZ EP series from 2022 *
- Rivers Cuomo and Patrick Wilson wrote song basics together for the first time since their 1994 debut *‡
- The Gathering arena tour kicks off in September with The Shins and Silversun Pickups supporting most of the 32 dates *‡
SUPPORT
The Shins and Silversun Pickups join for most dates on The Gathering tour *‡.
WHY IT MATTERS
SKIP IT — Weezer calling this "back-to-basics" while stacking their seventh self-titled album with a guest vocalist and a producer promising violence feels more like brand management than artistic rebirth. The Wednesday collab is the only genuinely interesting piece here, and even that can't shake the feeling that we've watched this exact album cycle six times before with different paint jobs.