Weezer [Black Album]
by Weezer
  • Record Label: Atlantic
  • Release Date: Mar 1, 2019
User Score
5.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 88 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 88
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 88
  3. Negative: 23 out of 88
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  1. MysticManiac
    Mar 26, 2019
    3
    BOORRRRIINNNGGGG!

    Can't Knock The Hustle, first song I heard, was weird and a bit cringey at points but it was the first Weezer song for a while that actually interested me. Then Zombie Bastards was released, that song flat out sucks ass. And none of the other songs I heard did anything for me. One of their weakest albums. I guess my faves are CKTH and High As A Kite but I'm really    BOORRRRIINNNGGGG!

    Can't Knock The Hustle, first song I heard, was weird and a bit cringey at points but it was the first Weezer song for a while that actually interested me. Then Zombie Bastards was released, that song flat out sucks ass. And none of the other songs I heard did anything for me. One of their weakest albums. I guess my faves are CKTH and High As A Kite but I'm really losing interest in Weezer. They've basically had 5 good albums, a few ok albums and the rest pretty much just suck    … Expand
  2. rextree
    Mar 1, 2019
    7
    It's a mixed bag for sure, but with its flaws -such as Piece of Cake- there are great tracks in the forms of Too Many Thoughts and I'm Just Being Honest.
  3. peo
    Mar 1, 2019
    7
    Its better than pacifyc daydream , ratitud or hurley . They have grown in that new direction they were taking with this ,and i appreciate that . But that doesnt make the album up to the name of the band
  4. AlexTheSavior
    Mar 4, 2019
    7
    Definitely not weezer's best, but it's definitely a generally decent album. My personal favorites are Can't Knock the Hustle and High as a Kite.
  5. V1T02
    Mar 6, 2019
    5
    o álbum é medíocre e genérico na maior partde do tempo, perdendo a inventividade, o famoso "pop farófa"
  6. ImBathory
    Mar 2, 2019
    5
    Mediocre album by Weezer. Nothing really stands out and its forgettable aside from the chorus of High as a Kite which is atrocious. Really the only highlight is Cant Knock The Hustle.
  7. yowassupbro
    Mar 7, 2019
    3
    Just in case you're wondering, Black is definitely not a companion piece to the White album. It's more like a genetically inferior lovechild between Pacific Daydream and Raditude. Radi2de would be a more fitting title. Hardly any of the tracks on here stand up to repeated listening, they're just disposable throwaway tracks, many of which sound like Pacific Daydream castoffs or B-sides.Just in case you're wondering, Black is definitely not a companion piece to the White album. It's more like a genetically inferior lovechild between Pacific Daydream and Raditude. Radi2de would be a more fitting title. Hardly any of the tracks on here stand up to repeated listening, they're just disposable throwaway tracks, many of which sound like Pacific Daydream castoffs or B-sides. High as a Kite is the standout song but it deserves to be on a better album and further highlights how bad most of the other tracks are. Even the glossy production can't mask the stench of these soulless turds, in fact it makes them extra offensive. Weezer are smart though, they know the money is in touring, merch, memes, gimmicks and the occasional radio hit. I credit Weezer for their continued appeal and popularity but I don't consider them a legit band anymore, just a novelty act with little artistic integrity. They're just going through the motions now, the other three guys are just puppets happy to go along with Rivers' latest wacky musical tangent and pick up a paycheck. They're very poor live too. It's a shame because they still have a little talent. For example they worked with a decent producer on White and put out a cohesive band-centric album that played to their strengths and will hold up in the future. But then Rivers goes and slaps you in the face, and not for the first time. He seems to be in a perpetual state of confusion about what kinda band he wants Weezer to be, as well as his own songwriting skills and musical direction. He also now often works with outside songwriters. Let's take the co-writer of Zombie Bastards as an example. Here are some of the other acts he's worked with: Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj, Madonna, Backstreet Boys, Demi Lovato, One Direction, Westlife, The Saturdays, P!nk, Celine Dion, Enrique Iglesias, Tiësto, Avicii and NSYNC. And somehow this band still gets featured in Kerrang magazine?! Matt Sharp probably misses the paychecks but part of me thinks he's laughing his ass off and glad he escaped this joke outfit years ago with his dignity and integrity still intact.
    Hasta luego, adios Weezer.    … Expand
  8. thunderboltway
    Mar 4, 2019
    5
    Weezer's "The Last Jedi":

    Witnessing the band defiantly ditching their crusty conservative fanbase once and for all with a capital "P" Pop album on the level of Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, or Lady Gaga is at least hilariously entertaining. No, it's not always a fitting choice given the material. For example, a little grime and fuzz would have elevated the halfway-there Visconti/Bolan    Weezer's "The Last Jedi":

    Witnessing the band defiantly ditching their crusty conservative fanbase once and for all with a capital "P" Pop album on the level of Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, or Lady Gaga is at least hilariously entertaining.

    No, it's not always a fitting choice given the material. For example, a little grime and fuzz would have elevated the halfway-there Visconti/Bolan inspired "The Prince Who Wanted Everything" from neat trick to revelation.

    Nevertheless, while the commercial gloss is still too strong even on the following odder tracks, "Can't Knock The Hustle", "Zombie Bastards", "Too Many Thoughts In My Head," and the gloriously anachronistic, feminine Bossa Nova bopper "Byzantine" at least start courting legit hipster weirdos again, people who felt abandoned by the band long ago.

    It's a bit didactic, as it feels like Weezer has taken it upon themselves to educate mongoloids, and if that's a little mean, well, so is this record. By competing in today's anti-intellectual and clinically bland Top 40, Weezer is clearly frustrated with what people want from them and hoping a little music appreciation goes a long way.

    Fly, freak flags, fly.    … Expand
  9. PhoenixCauseway
    Mar 4, 2019
    9
    As a fan of Weezer going back far too many years to count I actually went into listening to the Black Album with trepidation but came away so impressed. The sound may be slightly different from past records, but the quality of their songwriting prowess shines through. Especially loving Zombie Bastards and Piece of Cake. Surprised by the low reviews!
  10. GerardistheWay
    Mar 2, 2019
    5
    It pains me to have to give such a low score to the latest album by a band that I absolutely adore, but Weezer's "Black Album" unfortunately just doesn't live up to the early promise that it showed.

    This isn't to say the album isn't without merits - far from it, in fact. This record is one of halves, and the front half, if nothing special, is at least listenable and enjoyable enough.    It pains me to have to give such a low score to the latest album by a band that I absolutely adore, but Weezer's "Black Album" unfortunately just doesn't live up to the early promise that it showed.

    This isn't to say the album isn't without merits - far from it, in fact. This record is one of halves, and the front half, if nothing special, is at least listenable and enjoyable enough. "Can't Knock the Hustle" and "Living in LA", with their funky dance beats and prickly guitar riffs, lay the groundwork for the urban rhythms Rivers Cuomo expressed interest in exploring in the lead-up to release, while "High as a Kite" lulls you with mellow dream-pop before blasting it all away in an explosion of guitar and synths, a clashing of personalities that recalls and highlights the influence of bands like the Pixies. "I'm Just Being Honest", another perfectly danceable pop song that's probably among their best within the last few years, sounds like it could have been a hilarious spin on All-American Rejects-style pop punk with more distortion guitar, and though "Piece of Cake" is wholly bland and "Zombie Bastards" (some interesting lyrical flourishes aside) repeats many of the mistakes made with "Feels Like Summer", they work well enough in the moment that you might be willing to give them another spin.

    Whereas the first half was, if admittedly a little scattershot, fairly consistent in terms of tone, themes and quality, however, the second spirals out of control and nearly drags the entire record down with it. "Too Many Thoughts in My Head" is too sonically and lyrically jarring to revisit again after the first listen, as if Rivers had thrown caution to the wind and created the strangest song he could think of, and while the injection of a little more guitar into "The Prince Who Wanted Everything" is certainly welcome, it's in service of a song so dull that it does little to liven up the affair (also, the only band who can talk about how rock-and-roll their music is in their own songs and manage to sound only slightly ridiculous is AC/DC, so let's just leave that to them). If not for the fact that it were by Weezer (and even this might not save it from that fate), "Byzantine" is so mind-numbingly generic and bland that it could easily be mistakable for easy-listening or elevator music, and the electro-soundscape where the boys get themselves lost in "California Snow" is about as far removed from Weezer as anyone could imagine, much less want.

    Weezer has shown us before that they can surprise us with a comeback album so great that it makes you forget about what all had come before to tarnish their reputation in the first place. Who knows? Maybe they've got one tucked away somewhere that will wipe away the wasted potential that was this record. Seeing as it seemed that they were just starting to get their groove back, however, it'd probably be best to release that sooner rather than later. 5/10

    Choice Cuts: "High as a Kite", "Living in LA", "I'm Just Being Honest"    … Expand
  11. nthecoolnl
    Mar 1, 2019
    7
    While this album is a mixed bag of songs, there are still some classic catchy songs that grab my attention. I loved their white album, it seemed to be a return to form. Then pacific day dream came out and (while i actually like this album too) it seems that the Black album has mixed both styles but leans a bit too much towards Pacific daydream, making this album slightly unstructured.

    I    While this album is a mixed bag of songs, there are still some classic catchy songs that grab my attention. I loved their white album, it seemed to be a return to form. Then pacific day dream came out and (while i actually like this album too) it seems that the Black album has mixed both styles but leans a bit too much towards Pacific daydream, making this album slightly unstructured.

    I like an album to tell me a story and have each song compliment each other as they transition into the next track. I do not feel like this album does that, BUT its still a good listen. I was hoping for a more heavy sound from this album, but i still love Weezer and i will no doubt be listening to this album on repeat as i have done with ALL of their other albums    … Expand
  12. weezermij
    Mar 6, 2019
    4
    Pretty bad, mediocre and forgettable music. Weezer trying too hard to sound cool in many ways and failing at each one, save when the try to be themselves: High as a kite. An album with only one highlight us not enough for Rivers' standards. Remember, this same band released the great White Album just a couple of years ago...
    This is, basically, Pacific Daydream II.
  13. PinkertonLight
    Mar 6, 2019
    8
    What it lacks in classic Weezer lyrics and instrumental diversity, I found catchy pop rock tunes hidden in a bleak and sometimes boring grasp at an antithesis to 2016's "White Album." Gems such as the five songs heard before the album's release, and "I'm Just Being Honest," along with "Too Many Thoughts In My Head." Finally, the elephant in the room is the unnecessary explicitness of someWhat it lacks in classic Weezer lyrics and instrumental diversity, I found catchy pop rock tunes hidden in a bleak and sometimes boring grasp at an antithesis to 2016's "White Album." Gems such as the five songs heard before the album's release, and "I'm Just Being Honest," along with "Too Many Thoughts In My Head." Finally, the elephant in the room is the unnecessary explicitness of some songs, which comes off as awkward at times but easy to move past.… Expand
  14. SteveJohnson
    Mar 1, 2019
    8
    Truly a good album with very few bad tracks. It’s hard to think of a Weezer song as good as Byzantine
  15. BigYellow24
    Mar 1, 2019
    8
    I’m actually very surprised. The weak reviews this album was getting lowered my expectations a lot but I was really pleasantly surprised. Not all the songs on here are winners but I think this might actually be Weezer’s best album since Pinkerton.
  16. Beffcake
    Mar 1, 2019
    4
    I guess you could say I'm not high on cookies. I'm certainly not high on this album.
  17. DavianQ
    Mar 1, 2019
    4
    While Weezer's latest offering shows their willingness to step outside their rock comfort zone, this is not the album Weezer fans wanted. I cannot imagine a single track on this album capturing a typical Weezer live crowd the way they can with the material that has served them best.
  18. stgrunu
    Mar 1, 2019
    2
    Easily the most pathetic Weezer album ever, at least Raditude has some ironic charm to it.
  19. meowyertalkin
    Mar 2, 2019
    0
    Uninspired, boring, and full of kitschy cliches. I would definitely skip this one.
  20. JayShurman
    Mar 3, 2019
    7
    This is another cringey dad-rock album. At least this album is authentic and eccentric but it still tries too hard to be cool. We will never forgive you for "Raditutde." A few songs like "Byzantine" really stand out tho.
  21. lazrpo
    Mar 6, 2019
    1
    This album is an all-out assault on Weezer's legacy and future.

    Starting out as the darker companion piece to their 2016 release "The White Album," "The Black Album" and it's 3 year journey finally made it's way to our ears in March. So what does 3 years of development and scrapped songs get you? A bland, boring pile of pop trash. Musically uninspired and lyrically stupid, the    This album is an all-out assault on Weezer's legacy and future.

    Starting out as the darker companion piece to their 2016 release "The White Album," "The Black Album" and it's 3 year journey finally made it's way to our ears in March.

    So what does 3 years of development and scrapped songs get you? A bland, boring pile of pop trash.

    Musically uninspired and lyrically stupid, the songs featured on this album are flat out insulting. The production and tone of some of these songs sound like they're lifted from a children's movie or a royalty-free library, while Rivers makes his edgy, explicit debut, throwing f-bombs around like an obnoxious 12 year old. Songs like "Too Many Thoughts in My Head," "California Snow," and "Piece of Cake" Are embarrassments to listen to, with our ever-so-lyrical front man singing lines like "I'm so high on cookies it's insane" and "Walk soft with a big stick, woo/When I play guitar, it's sick, woo"

    I must ask, who is the audience? Core Weezer fans will notice the lack of guitars and the focus on pristine pop production while casual listeners will pay no mind to these hook-less repetitive choruses. This album is the embodiment of vapid, cookie cutter pop performed by a man who wants to show his demos off to his friends.

    Stay away if you'r a Weezer fan, alt fan, rock fan, pop fan, MUSIC fan. Just stay away.    … Expand
  22. stupidman3444
    Mar 6, 2019
    10
    This album was really good! It isn’t weezer’s best album, but it’s definitely worth listening to still.
  23. wowee
    Mar 1, 2019
    10
    I love Weezer ,,,, Red, White and Blue ---- Black, Teal or whatever color they drop........ They're just Amazing !!!!!!!!!
  24. Joe_Friday
    Mar 1, 2019
    1
    Another disappointment from Weezer. It literally sounds like elevator music, something an easy listening radio station would play. Why does Rivers constantly put out music that no one but himself wants to hear? Oh well, at least I got an ironic "Ride or Die" tee-shirt for ordering the album. Weezer isn't very good at making music any more, but they're great at making memes and selling merchandise.
  25. rodrigomoia
    Mar 3, 2019
    0
    O Weezer vem em uma queda livre absurda em termos de criatividade, soando cópia de bandas de pop/rock atuais da pior espécie. Black Album é uma cereja azeda em cima de um bolo com bolor.
  26. Geofos63
    Mar 7, 2019
    10
    Rarely am I immediately drawn to an album on the first listen, but here's one for the short list. Weezer is as fresh, witty, and clever as they were on The Sweater Song, when I first became a fan. It's so good to hear some popular music in 2019 that wasn't arranged by a computer.
  27. Blueears
    Mar 14, 2019
    7
    Better production than Pacific Daydream with better songs, though it isn't exactly on par with Everything Will Be Alright and White. Still, there are good tracks to be had here, and Rivers' lyrics are getting interesting again (despite California Snow, which is awful lyrically yet still catchy despite itself). It really annoys me when fans say "this isn't the album we wanted", like they'reBetter production than Pacific Daydream with better songs, though it isn't exactly on par with Everything Will Be Alright and White. Still, there are good tracks to be had here, and Rivers' lyrics are getting interesting again (despite California Snow, which is awful lyrically yet still catchy despite itself). It really annoys me when fans say "this isn't the album we wanted", like they're entitled to Pinkerton Pt. 2 just because they really like that record. Welp, it don't work that way. If you don't like it, don't listen to it. You aren't owed anything. Now for those of us who still enjoy Weezer despite the fact that their newer material is more decent than great, I'll take a Black album gladly.… Expand
  28. bleed0range
    Jan 29, 2021
    2
    It’s bad. But listen to it for High as a Kite. Otherwise don’t listen to it. I commend them for trying something new, but it doesn’t work. It’s a mess of soundscapes that clash and actually leaves me feeling pretty meh.
  29. Gamesearcher1
    Aug 29, 2019
    5
    Weezer's latest release is another average pop-rock album that doesn't do too much special but certainly isn't as much as a blemish as other albums in their catalogue.
    Rivers sounds alright, and while a slight step-up from the Teal album with performances like "High as a Kite" being quite great, but he also has incredibly bad moments, and by the end of the album he's rapping his verses    Weezer's latest release is another average pop-rock album that doesn't do too much special but certainly isn't as much as a blemish as other albums in their catalogue.
    Rivers sounds alright, and while a slight step-up from the Teal album with performances like "High as a Kite" being quite great, but he also has incredibly bad moments, and by the end of the album he's rapping his verses (kill me) with one of the worst Weezer songs of the decade, and questionable closing track, "California Snow".
    I didn't expect anything all too interesting musically, and, unfortunately, I was right. While "The Prince Who Wanted Everything" has an alright riff, and there isn't anything that's atrociously bad.
    And then there's the lyrics. Holy moly, there is some terrible writing on this album. Even on songs that I surprisingly enjoyed, the lyrics were always iffy. There are a sure lot of 'Do-Do' hooks, which don't help. But, it was great hearing Cuomo calling people ****
    Overall, this was an average album. There were some good songs, there were some bad songs, but most just fell short at mediocre. It didn't bore me to death like 'Pacific Daydream', which I can commend.
    Favourites: High as a Kite, Too Many Thoughts in My Head
    Least Favourites: California Snow, Living in L.A., I’m Just Being Honest    … Expand
  30. Tigs
    Oct 14, 2021
    5
    Top 3 songs on the album:
    1. High as a Kite
    2. Can't Knock the Hustle
    3. I'm just being honest
  31. TheRaggedFlygon
    Jul 27, 2019
    5
    Some tracks on this album remind you of the great work that this band has put out before, others are hard to listen to. The ones that are listenable feel indistinguishable from other mediocre works by Weezer from the past twenty years and that is a shame given their resurgent popularity following their Africa cover.

    It might be worth a listen if you are a long time fan of the band, but    Some tracks on this album remind you of the great work that this band has put out before, others are hard to listen to. The ones that are listenable feel indistinguishable from other mediocre works by Weezer from the past twenty years and that is a shame given their resurgent popularity following their Africa cover.

    It might be worth a listen if you are a long time fan of the band, but you are likely better off just listening to the Blue Album or Pinkerton instead.    … Expand
  32. Chris182
    Apr 26, 2021
    6
    Its not nearly as bad as some of their previous work, but dont expect anyone to come back to this album regularly. Just another example of Weezer releasing a bunch of lazy half-written songs.

    Best Songs: High as a Kite, Living in LA, Byzantine, Im Just Being Honest, Too Many Thoughts in My Head
    Worst Songs: The Prince Who Wanted Everything, Piece of Cake, Zombie Bastards
  33. nce93
    May 10, 2021
    7
    A more experimental album than most people may of been hoping for coming off the previous three albums, but in many cases it paid off. Can't knock the hustle, Zombie Bastards, California Snow, and a few overs are new Weezer mainstays. The problem is some other tracks that could have been great end up sounding just okay because they needed a little more time in the oven to work out whatA more experimental album than most people may of been hoping for coming off the previous three albums, but in many cases it paid off. Can't knock the hustle, Zombie Bastards, California Snow, and a few overs are new Weezer mainstays. The problem is some other tracks that could have been great end up sounding just okay because they needed a little more time in the oven to work out what they wanted to be (Piece of Cake, Living in LA, Too many thoughts). I understand the divisiveness of the album, and it may not be one you listen to all 10 tracks again, but there is still so much to be said for a band that can provide good unique tracks that surprise listeners 25 years after their debut.… Expand
  34. MagicPretzel
    May 16, 2021
    10
    Don't listen to people who are obsessed with Weezer's first 2 - 3 studio albums to the exclusion of everything the band has released afterwards — this is an alternatingly cool and silly (in a fun way) album by a band whose frontman is an increasingly emotionally secure and happy married guy in his late middle age who has two kids who love him and whom he loves back, and for that reasonDon't listen to people who are obsessed with Weezer's first 2 - 3 studio albums to the exclusion of everything the band has released afterwards — this is an alternatingly cool and silly (in a fun way) album by a band whose frontman is an increasingly emotionally secure and happy married guy in his late middle age who has two kids who love him and whom he loves back, and for that reason alone it's *not* going to be the kind of exercise in (unintentional) dorkiness or oversharing that made his band famous, and then notorious, in the first place. Detractors may whine about how "formulaic" much of the songwriting is, but if such a charge can be levelled against it, is that really a bad thing? Popular chord progressions, melodic phrasings and even production techniques exist to be used because people dig them and like how they sound. It's kind of the whole point, you know? As for the arrangements of (some of) the songs, there's more to life as a rock musician than constantly trying to appeal to purists who act like they're going to have mental health crises whenever they encounter a synthesiser playing more loudly than an electric guitar.
    Go out and buy it if you haven't already — it's cool and fun, and, along with the subsequently released "OK Human" and maybe "Van Weezer", it's easily among their best albums since the first two (and I say that as someone who got into the first two when they came out and then left the fandom after the Green Album — yes, this one got me to come back and even inspired me to re-evaluate some of Weezer's other releases more favourably!). As long as you approach it with your heart in the right place, you won't regret it, even if you do need to play it a few times before it really grows on you.    … Expand
  35. Raiden301
    Oct 4, 2022
    3
    Jesus Christ this album sucks. 2019's Weezer the black album decides to throw away any good will ewbaite and white built up from critics and fans, while Pacific Daydream could be excused as a weird side album, black uses the classic self titled Weezer style and ends up looking worse for it.

    It's opener can't knock the hustle and high as a kite are the standouts of the record, nearly every    Jesus Christ this album sucks. 2019's Weezer the black album decides to throw away any good will ewbaite and white built up from critics and fans, while Pacific Daydream could be excused as a weird side album, black uses the classic self titled Weezer style and ends up looking worse for it.

    It's opener can't knock the hustle and high as a kite are the standouts of the record, nearly every other song is an overproduced slog that will leave you feeling nothing at best and miserable at worst.

    Many say raditude or make believe are ethe worst, but really black has the least redeeming qualities of any Weezer release    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

43
#43 Most Discussed Album of 2019
16
#16 Most Shared Album of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
53

Mixed or average reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 20
  3. Negative: 5 out of 20
  1. No Ripcord
    Mar 19, 2019
    50
    He implicitly tells you to “die, die” on the Slightly Stoopid-resembling Zombie Bastards, after all, a joyful retort to the haters who won’t shut up about how Weezer has become a meme in musical form. But Cuomo, ever the mercurial songwriter, later goes off over the pleasures of parasailing on the escapist, Paul McCartney-recalling High as a Kite. And that’s when Weezer (Black Album) peaks.
    Read full review
  2. Under The Radar
    Mar 7, 2019
    10
    In simple summary, The Black Album makes The Teal Album sound like The Green Album, The Green Album sound like The Blue Album, and The Blue Album sound like the actual The White Album. The Beatles one. And all of it sounds like Weezer flowering into the absolute worst version of themselves.
    Read full review
  3. The 405
    Mar 6, 2019
    15
    With The Black Album, Weezer once again sounds insufferably uncomfortable with the notion of aging by devising the musical equivalent of getting hair plugs. ... A compilation of tracks lacking in quality and spat out at the end of a conveyer belt.
    Read full review
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