Raditude is the seventh studio album by American alternative rock band Weezer, and it was released on November 3, 2009, although its original release date was set for October 27, 2009.http The title of the album was suggested to Weezer vocalist Rivers Cuomo by actor Rainn Wilson.
The album's first single, "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To", was released in August 2009. The album debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200.
The album was initially released in Australia on October 30, 2009. It was made available in the United Kingdom on November 2, 2009, and the following day in the United States.
Recording
Knowledge of the record was first made public by Billboard.com, who reported that Weezer was to head into the studio in early November 2008 to record a seventh album. A YouTube post titled "Let's Write A Sawng: Step 16," uploaded on November 15, 2008, showed Cuomo in the studio with producer Jacknife Lee short-listing three songs from a list of 23, adding speculation to the recording of a seventh album or new b-sides.http
In May, the band's webmaster and archivist Karl Koch revealed that the album had no set release date, and that the band would be recording additional material. He revealed that Cuomo would be the sole lead vocalist on this album unlike their previous album, 2008's Weezer. In early summer of 2009, session drummer Josh Freese joined Weezer as the percussionist, with Pat Wilson taking over guitar duties for Cuomo. Freese performed with the band at the KROQ Weenie Roast. In an interview for the event, the band revealed that the new album would be released in summer 2009.
On July 24, Weezer played three new songs in Korea at the Jisan Valley Rock Festival: "Can't Stop Partying", "I'm Your Daddy", and "The Girl Got Hot". "Can't Stop Partying" had previously been released in demo form on Cuomo's Alone II album in 2008. While performing "The Girl Got Hot" on July 26, 2009 at the Fuji Rock Festival, Cuomo revealed that Weezer's seventh studio album would be released in October 2009. August 4, 2009, saw the final recording sessions for the album, with mixing of the disc beginning two days later.
Rivers revealed in an interview with Billboard on August 21 that "The Girl Got Hot", "I'm Your Daddy" and "Can't Stop Partying" will indeed be on the new album as well as a song called "Trippin' Down the Freeway". "Let It All Hang Out" was co-written with hip-hop producer Jermaine Dupri. "Put Me Back Together" was co-written with The All-American Rejects members Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler.
Promotion
On August 14, 2009, MTV confirmed that the first single, "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To", was to be released on American rock radio on August 25. The track leaked less than a week after the announcement, and the official release of the single to radio was moved up to Tuesday, August 18. A music video for the single was filmed with director Marc Webb and co-starring Odette Yustman.
Via updates on their official website, the band revealed in August 2009 that the album would be called Raditude and released on October 27. This date was pushed back a week to November 3. On October 13, the band announced "The Weezer Raditude Club," which allowed customers to pre-order Raditude and gain access to exclusive tracks each week leading up to the album's release.
Weezer recorded a promotional performance for Sessions@AOL. Guests included Kenny G, Chamillionaire and Sara Bareilles. Kenny G's contribution was a solo after the second chorus of "I'm Your Daddy". Prior to the performance he said that he knew nothing of Weezer. Although Cuomo and Kenny G live near each other in Malibu they had never met before the recording which was done in one take. Kenny G commented in the green room on the lack of rehearsal, "...that's OK. I'm a professional."Charley Rogulewski Spinner.com, Oct 23 2009
Raditude is being sold in conjunction with a Weezer version of the Snuggie, a popular wearable blanket.
The album debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200, selling 66,000 copies in its first week,Caulfield, Keith. . Billboard.com. November 11, 2009 only about half as many copies as the band's previous album, Weezer, sold in its first week in 2008.
Reception
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 57 ("mixed or average reviews"), based on 22 reviews.
Chart performance
Personnel
Band
*Rivers Cuomo - lead vocals, guitar, keyboards
*Brian Bell - guitar, backing vocals, keyboards
*Scott Shriner - bass, backing vocals, keyboards
*Patrick Wilson - drums, guitar, backing vocals
Additional musicians
*Lil Wayne - vocals ("Can't Stop Partying")
*Josh Freese - drums ("I'm Your Daddy," "The Girl Got Hot" and "Let It All Hang Out")
*Jacknife Lee - keyboards, backing vocals, guitar, percussion, programming ("Love is the Answer," "In the Mall," "I Don't Want to Let You Go," "Get Me Some," "Run Over By A Truck," "The Prettiest Girl In The Whole Wide World" and "The Underdogs")
*Amrita Sen - vocals ("Love is the Answer")
*Nishat Khan - additional vocals, sitar ("Love is the Answer")
*Aaron Suplizio - additional bass ("Love is the Answer")
*Sim Grewall - additional percussion ("Love is the Answer")
Studio
*Butch Walker - producer ("(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To," "The Girl Got Hot," "Put Me Back Together," and "Let It All Hang Out")
*Jermaine Dupri- writer ("Can't Stop Partying")
*Jacknife Lee - producer ("Trippin' Down The Freeway," "Love is the Answer," "In the Mall," "I Don't Want to Let You Go," "Get Me Some," "Run Over By A Truck," "The Prettiest Girl In The Whole Wide World" and "The Underdogs")
*Dr. Luke - producer ("I'm Your Daddy")
*Polow da Don - producer ("Can't Stop Partying")
*Ananda Sen - producer ("Love is the Answer")
*Shawn Everett - producer ("Love is the Answer")
*Tom McFall - recording (Jacknife Lee sessions)
*Sam Bell - additional engineering and editing (Jacknife Lee sessions)
*Shawn Everett - drum & guitar recording ("Trippin' Down the Freeway," "Love is the Answer" and "In the Mall")
*Jack Sinclair - recording (Butch Walker sessions)
*Joe Zook - recording (Butch Walker sessions)
*Doug McKean - recording ("I'm Your Daddy")
*Rich Costey - mixing
*Charlie Stavish - mixing assistant
*Serban Ghenea - mixing ("Put Me Back Together")
*John Hanes - mixing engineer ("Put Me Back Together")
*Tim Roberts - mixing assistant ("Put Me Back Together")
*Douglas Forsdick - studio tech
*Henry Trejo - guitar tech
*Mike Fasano - drum tech
*Dave Collins - mastering
Artwork
*Andy Mueller - art direction and design
*Johannes Gamble - art direction and design
*Morning Breath Inc. - cover co-design
*Jason Neely - dog photography
*Sean Murphy - band photography
*Karl Koch - additional photography
*Daniel Field - additional photography
References
Category:Weezer albums
Category:2009 albums
Category:Albums produced by Butch Walker
Category:Albums produced by Dr. Luke
Category:Albums produced by Jacknife Lee
Category:Albums produced by Polow da Don
ca:Raditude
es:Raditude
fr:Raditude
it:Raditude
pl:Raditude
pt:Raditude
ko:Raditude
This text has been derived from Raditude on Wikipedia and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License 3.0
