WEEZER: The Teal Album

25 years into their career, Weezer can still get even the casual fans abuzz anytime they crank out a color-themed self-titled concept album.  The Blue Album was not just an amazing debut, it might still be their high-water mark. A so-called Black Album is finally scheduled to land on March 1, after years of fan speculation.  And in the meantime, Weezer has dropped a funny little surprise album.  (Bold move from a band that's not all that funny or surprising anymore.)

Technically, this is their fifth eponymous LP, but for all intents and purposes, it's to be known as The Teal Album.  And as you might have deduced from the album art, it's a collection of 10 retro-themed cover songs.  For a band that recently returned to heavy rotation with a fairly straightforward rendition of Toto's Africa, this release is a commercial no-brainer.

Africa was supposedly tossed-off after a 14-year-old fan requested the cover on Twitter.  And leave it to Rivers Cuomo to piggyback on his own cool impromptu success with nine additional would-be radio hits.  You could just imagine somebody in management saying, “Africa was your biggest hit in years… just do that nine more times!” Casual listeners might not see the point, but you could easily imagine Matt Damon’s Weezer fanboy character flipping for this record on SNL.

Consider that the album rarely strays too far from the early '80s wheelhouse, and you can probably guess some of the other tracks without even looking. Take On Me by a-ha? Check. Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Tears For Fears? Check. Billie Jean by Michael Jackson? Obviously. These aren’t exactly hidden gems of the underground new-wave scene. These are the biggest hits of the Reagan era, warmed over. Easily the most inspired choice of these ten tracks is the band’s version of No Scrubs by TLC, and that one, strangely, is the lone selection from the 1990s.

As with many cover albums, the songs themselves were expertly crafted to begin with. These ten tracks were all hits for good reason, and Weezer recreates them without ever divulging too far from the original arrangements. It makes for, at best, a quirky little hit of nostalgia- and at worst, pointless role-playing.

If you’re breathless with anticipation for the Black Album, then this release should make the wait that much easier. Otherwise, the Teal Album is just a rote exercise in paid karaoke. Let’s hope the next album is as dark as they’ve been hinting… or at least, a little more colorful. D+