Pop-punk legends Weezer are back with their latest album, which is their 20th in total, and their first full-length release since 2021's ‘Van Weezer’. Before that, the band released a set of four mini-albums in a project known as ‘SZNZ’, which felt rushed. A gap between projects was needed, as at times, with the amount they have put out in the past decade, they definitely prioritised quantity over quality. Their latest outing is simply entitled ‘Weezer’, which is their seventh self-titled record, this time going for a gold colour scheme, having been through several different colours already. 

You’d think that after 30 years on the scene they would be out of ideas, but that’s far from the case; there are a lot of interesting sounds on the record that make the band sound as fresh and unique as they ever have. The album is produced by Kenneth Blume, formerly known as Kenny Beats, and Teddybears’ Klas Åhlund, and the duo has made for a crisp and high-quality sound.

The album starts with ‘Say Yes’, a great opener, starting with a Rivers Cuomo solo and then breaking seamlessly into a full band performance, backed by a heavy drum beat and guitars. This song contains a mention of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, with the lyric "say yes, like Yoko to John". This is not the only reference to pop culture in the record, as they are scattered throughout.

Following on from the opener comes ‘Shine Again’, which was the first single from this album. This track starts really rough, but once it starts to get into its groove it sounds rather delightful and very uplifting. 

The fourth track, ‘We Might as Well Be Strangers’, is a real highlight, notably for its inclusion of North Carolina’s Wednesday, who made what was already a good song into a fantastic one. The lead singer, Karly Hartzman, plays off Cuomo's voice really well and makes for a great collaboration, not just musically but on a lyrical level too. It feels very much like a painful love story about two people who can't be together. 

‘C.E.O’. is a self-referential, meta song, which covers some fans' perceptions of the band through their lyrics and people perhaps wanting the band to sound like they did in the nineties. This even plays out in the music video, as they parody 1994's ‘Undone - The Sweater Song’. ‘C.E.O.’ and ‘Say Yes’ are the two tracks on the album which are primarily written by Cuomo, with the rest of the tracks being more of a collaborative effort.

‘The Show Must Go On’ comes a few tracks later;  this track sounds quite heavy and very similar to something that you would get from Led Zeppelin. It captures Weezer’s heavy side very well, and that’s how the whole album feels: it’s every part of Weezer that you love. Before the final track comes ‘Up In The Clouds’, a track which has many layers to it, starting off on a very sombre note and then breaking out into a more energetic sound. 

The final track on the album is ‘The LA Sound’, which was penned by guitarist Brian Bell and his frequent collaborator Luther Russell. It’s another song that looks back on the nineties and focuses on the youthfulness of being a band in that era. It feels very much like a statement to end the record on - a very reminiscent track. 

The album is very short overall, coming in at just 32 minutes, but it’s about what you do with the time, and it delivers everything that Weezer are known for. It doesn’t feel like the band's best album by any means, but it’s a prime example of a band that, even after so long, is still putting out great music. The album is rich in catchy songwriting, especially in the tracks written by Cuomo, and has many standout tracks.

Weezer will not be stopping anytime soon; the band is working on a movie which is due to be released next year. In support of the album, the band will embark on a world tour, with dates across the UK and Europe starting next May and support from Taking Back Sunday. Tickets for the tour are on sale now.

Jack Smith

@polka_dot_tracks

Image: 'Weezer' Official Album Cover