Weezer have officially announced their next self-titled record, already being dubbed The Gold Album by fans.
The band’s 16th studio album and 20th full-length release overall is set to arrive on August 21 via Reprise/Warner Records, marking their latest addition to the colour-coded series that began with 1994’s iconic Blue Album.
According to co-producers Klas Åhlund and Kenneth Blume (formerly known as Kenny Beats), the record was built around capturing the raw energy of a live band.
Blume described the goal as creating “the most violent Weezer album ever”, with sessions focused on a stripped-back, “rock band in a room” approach.
To achieve that, all four members recorded the drum tracks live together.
The album also marks the first time since The Blue Album that frontman Rivers Cuomo and drummer Patrick Wilson wrote the foundations of the songs from scratch together in their rehearsal space.
Alongside the announcement, Weezer have shared new single ‘We Might As Well Be Strangers’, a fuzzy, self-deprecating heartbreak anthem featuring guest vocals from Wednesday’s Karly Hartzman.
The track follows April’s ‘Shine Again’ as the second preview of the forthcoming record.
The Gold Album will feature 10 tracks, including the previously released ‘Shine Again’, fan-favourite demo ‘Up in the Clouds’, and ‘C.E.O.’, which Cuomo has previously teased as a meta sequel to Weezer classic ‘Undone – The Sweater Song’.
The Gold Album tracklist:
- Say Yes
- Shine Again
- Don’t Make It Weird
- We Might As Well Be Strangers (feat. Wednesday)
- C.E.O.
- Hoops
- Nowhere
- The Show Must Go On
- Up in the Clouds
- The LA Sound
Weezer will waste little time taking the new material on the road.
The band have also announced a 32-date North American arena tour beginning in Sacramento on September 8, with support coming from indie favourites The Shins and Silversun Pickups.
Head to their website for more info.
