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. 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
  3. stgrunu
    Mar 1, 2019
    2
    Easily the most pathetic Weezer album ever, at least Raditude has some ironic charm to it.
  4. meowyertalkin
    Mar 2, 2019
    0
    Uninspired, boring, and full of kitschy cliches. I would definitely skip this one.
  5. 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
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
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  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.
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