3/10

Weezer may not be the first group in the world to release a record called 'The Black Album', but for long time fans of the band, this is the one they have been waiting for. Ever since their brilliant self-titled debut album became known as 'The Blue Album', the outfit have continued the theme of colour-coded releases throughout their career, usually marking the highlights amongst their turbulent and unpredictable existence. But while their covers album, dubbed 'The Teal Album', delivered a jolly respite from the buzz surrounding this new collection earlier this year, it may well become their better LP of the year so far.

While the start of their career was filled with huge critical and commercial acclaim, the last decade or so has been a tough ride for the geek rockers. Although 2016's 'The White Album' saw the band return to a semblance of form, its follow up 'Pacific Daydream' in 2017 was a return to the lacklustre approach they have been known for in recent years, and unfortunately 'The Black Album' continues that broken trend. Filled with one cheesy cut after another, the emotion and raw intensity of some of their earlier releases seems completely absent from these new singles, as they meander aimlessly through this new collection.

Much like 'Pacific Daydream', 'The Black Album' fails to find its voice on almost every single track. Moving from one dreary insertion to another, the record just lacks any form of impact and makes for a difficult listen to finish off. It is a shame that so many fans were looking forward to this moment, only to be disappointed with the end result.