NEW YORK (Top40 Charts) - Since Weezer's fourth studio album, Maladroit, debuted at No. 3 on this week's The US Albums, it's just about time to start talking about its follow-up, right?
At least, that's the case with the new, prolific Weezer, who let loose Maladroit just one day under a year from the release of its self-titled comeback album (a.k.a The Green Album) in May of 2001.
Now, singer Rivers Cuomo tells allstar album No. 5 will surface even sooner -- just 10 months from Maladroit 's release. "I can tell you we have 20 songs recorded, but I can pretty much guarantee you that none of it will end up on the record," says Cuomo speaking from a recent tour stop in Osaka, Japan. "The same thing happened with Maladroit . We recorded on and off for the entire year and we eventually had like 50 songs recorded, but then it was really in the last two or three weeks that we came up with all the keeper tracks."
Weezer began belting out tracks for album No. 5 in March. "It will probably all come together in the last few weeks," continues Cuomo. "We're getting so much better as a band, everyone is really stretching out and growing. I think this record is really going to shred."
Regardless of which songs make the final cut or when they are written, Cuomo is defiant about the album coming out next February. "Probably none of the songs are written yet, but I know its coming out in February," he laughs.
Additionally, Cuomo sees a bigger and brighter future in his Weezer crystal ball. "We see the most incredible future for ourselves," he says. "We've allowed ourselves the room to try different kinds of albums, different production techniques, different kings of songs -- we're really getting a sense of how everything works and how our music is received by the listeners. Our instincts are becoming more and more finely honed. I think all of this is going to add up to something incredible that is going to make a No. 3 debut look quite paltry."
Next up for Weezer, when it returns from its current Japan World Cup '02 trek, is the just-announced Enlightenment Tour '02. The band has enlisted Dashboard Confessional and the Strokes for a summer shed tour beginning July 5 in Salt Lake City. Sparta, consisting of former members of At the Drive-In, and Dashboard will open all shows, followed by the Strokes on a few select dates.
"We're very excited about that because it's mostly outdoor venues," says Cuomo of the tour. "It will be nice summer evenings. It's gonna be a chance to expand the rock into another environment."
Meanwhile, here is the tentative itinerary for Enlightenment Tour '02, according to Weezer's official Web site:
July 5, Salt Lake City, The E Center
July 6, Denver, Fiddlers Green Amphitheater
July 8, Minneapolis, Xcel Arena
July 10, Chicago, World Amphitheater
July 11, Detroit, DTE Energy Center
July 13, Toronto, Molson Amphitheater
July 14, Cleveland, Blossom Music Center
July 16, Indianapolis, TBA
July 17, Columbus, Ohio, Polaris Amphitheater
July 19, Hartford, Conn., CTNow.com Meadows Music Center
July 20, Boston, Tweeter Center
July 22, Wantaugh, N.Y., Jones Beach Amphitheater
July 23, Holmdel, N.J., Garden State Amphitheater
July 25, Philadelphia, Tweeter Center or First Union Center
July 26, Washington, D.C., Merriweather Post Pavilion
July 28, Atlanta, Hifi Buys Amphitheater
July 29, Nashville, TBA
July 31, Houston, Woods Amphitheater
Aug. 2, Dallas, Smirnoff Amphitheater
Aug. 3, San Antonio, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Aug. 6, Phoenix, TBA
Aug. 8, Irvine, Calif., Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Aug. 9, San Diego, Coors Amphitheater
