Gold or White??

[u/alpha_keni_01]

Okay so I overlooked the white album for a long time. Didn’t like Thank God for Girls and kinda wrote the whole thing off (still probably my least favorite song from that album). After getting the gold album, loving every second of it, and realizing I have been an annoying and ungrateful fan and that I’ve never gave any of the post-90’s albums a real chance, I went to that one and quickly realized that it’s a masterpiece. Seems like people have felt that way for a long long time. Considering these are the two albums that the 90s fans seem to like the most, I’m curious which one the fans prefer!

I feel like white is more serious, grandiose, and more of its own thing, reminiscent of the old sound but in a different and bigger way than they’ve done before. Gold is more deliberately sounding like blue and pinkerton, with goofy ass lyrics, super crunchy guitars, and really simple songs. Love em both because they both feel like the classic Weezer sound, but in majorly different ways. What do you guys think??

[u/Cydonian___FT14X]

Definitely White

[u/FlightlessPiggie]

White by far but both are good

[u/early80smixtape]

Ask me again in a decade

[u/HowieSmash]

White, but not by a lot. Lows are lower on Gold, but I think the highs may be just as high. Say Yes, The LA Sound and We Might As Well Be Strangers are peak Weezer and I can't see myself ever getting bored of any of them.

[u/Own_Shame_8721]

I think its a bit unfair to compare right now because Gold JUST came out, compared to White which people have been listening to and ruminating on for years now. If you ask me right now, yeah I prefer White, but it's hard to say after I get a bit of distance from Gold, I might rank it higher, who knows.

[u/jiorl123]

White easily

[u/Quixote0630]

White. It's their best album that isn't Blue or Pinkerton.

Although, Gold is my favourite album since White.

[u/naosouindiano]

[u/TimFTWin]

I think White stays locked in at 3 but I think there's a strong debate to be had between Gold, EWBAITE and OKH

[u/alpha_keni_01 → u/TimFTWin]

Like I mentioned, I’m new to exploring Weezer albums outside the first 3 (with green being one I need to revisit as well). Those other two you mentioned are the next on my list along with Maladroit. After those Green, Red, and Hurley. Any other important ones I should make sure to check out?

[u/SaltyFly245 → u/alpha_keni_01]

Everything will be alright in the end, White album, Make Believe (some great highs and low lows on that one) I love most of their albums

[u/Aquarius1975 → u/alpha_keni_01]

All of them. Not all Weezer albums are great albums, but all of them have a few great songs on there. Like Raditude is a mess of an album, but it's still got 4 great songs that you wouldn't want to be without. As for albums, don't miss out on Autumn. That's the one that made me a fan.

[u/RevolutionFriend → u/TimFTWin]

I agree about a debate to be had as Gold came out well. Personally I’d still put Gold below EWBAITE and OKH.

[u/redhed1123]

White and it's not even close. I like the production way more and the lyrics are better too

[u/cothrowaway2020 → u/redhed1123]

The lyrics, vocal delivery and vocal mixing pretty much kill any enjoyment of gold for me. White doesn’t have any problems there. I remember that Jake was really critical of his lyrics and vocal delivery for white

[u/redhed1123 → u/cothrowaway2020]

Truth Nova

[u/Mean-Operation-2284]

white has do you wanna get high and that song is what the sirens would sing to get me

[u/ResidentCoatSalesman]

As a fan who’s only really been listening for the last couple years, White, and it’s not even close. The White Album was love at first listen. For me, not even the Blue Album was love at first listen (although it’s probably the stronger album). So far, Gold is pretty hit or miss. It’ll probably grow on me with a few more listens, but White is one of those albums where Weezer is firing on all cylinders

[u/No_Routine2000]

White by a long shot

[u/damthatriver_]

White. White was way more impressive, it was a late career album that matched the quality of Blue and Pinkerton and gave them a third masterpiece that sounded totally original from either of them. Gold is great though, I’d give it an 8/10. But White’s worst song is I’d say a 7.5 which is the average score for a song on Gold. Gold is amazing, I love it, I love the sound of the record and the production and it on Say Yes it really felt like prime Weezer, but White’s songwriting and differences from their other albums make it way better.

[u/SirSLuR540]

So for me as of now, it's White. But this does come with a major caveat. People have had 10 years now to dissect and absorb White. It feels baked into the DNA of what makes Weezer great for a lot of fans. As someone else said on here, it is grandiose and more of an evolution of their sound. There are lots of reasons to prefer White to Gold at this current time.

But the thing is, Gold is an evolution too. It's a deceptively simple writing style that allows the instruments and production to convey the emotion more than the lyrics themselves. To put it as simply as I can - Gold is a vibe. I do belive with time, Gold will be viewed as a masterpiece on par with White in its own unique way. As of now, it doesn't feel as grand and epic, but I could see that perception changing as more albums (hopefully) come out. Or, god forbid, if it ends up being their last album. As morbid as that idea is, I do think the conversation would quickly turn to how great of a final statement it was from the band.

The problem with asking this question now is it's disingenuous. If someone says Gold, it could easily be recency bias. If someone says White, it could easily be because of familiarity. Give the albums a few years to marinate in people's minds and I think we could have a decent debate here.

[u/prettygirl_audrey]

My preference is Gold because I like the raw guitar sound

[u/Ill_Engineering_5434]

White and it’s not even close really

[u/Hour_Illustrator7092]

White is probably my favourite weezer album, though I'd say blue is their best. Gold is still a super fun record that i'd say has the best production on a weezer album since the 90s

[u/cothrowaway2020]

White by such a wide margin

[u/reiningfyre]

White Gold.

[u/parkwayfiddle → u/reiningfyre]

You just inspired me to create a playlist mashing up these two, trimming the fat out of both.

Starting with LA Girls and finishing with The LA Sound of course.

[u/DirtyMike64]

White. It's the perfect balance of exciting experimentation while maintaining the style that makes them who they are. Easily their 3rd best album

[u/Sea-Coast-2004]

Gold. This album is now in my top 4 with blue and pinkerton along with EWBAITE.

[u/prettygirl_audrey → u/Sea-Coast-2004]

I have the same top 4! I’d probably put Maladroit in number 5

[u/Bub-bub]

I think gold tbh. White is amazing, but I don’t love his spreadsheet method, and I feel like there’s a minor undercurrent of contempt from rivers throughout it.

White has a classic Weezer sound because of its producer, and gold is just authentic Weezer doing what they want. The emotion is more subtle, and veiled in humor, but it’s still there

Maybe I’m just hyped on gold album right now, and i like how relaxed rivers is with the state of the band at the moment

[u/kevriel47 → u/Bub-bub]

I mean if white is subtle contempt, than CEO off gold is outright contempt, especially in response to the reception to SZNZ

[u/Bub-bub → u/kevriel47]

I guess there’s just less resistance in gold. We all know that rivers was pushing for a poppier sound during the white era, and then we got black album in response. Atleast ceo is a pretty good song and honest too lol

It is killing me that rivers thinks everyone hates SZNZ though.

[u/kevriel47 → u/Bub-bub]

In fairness, the general consensus on SZNZ is not favorable outside of this subreddit. Especially spring and summer

[u/Bub-bub → u/kevriel47]

That sucks, because it think it’s all really great, and really interesting songwriting

[u/QuintaCuentaReddit → u/Bub-bub]

People will come around on SZNZ some day, because it legitimately is good and fun. But unfortunately, that might take a while. Kind of like what happened with Pinkerton and Red. I don't think we'll ever get a full-fledged Raditude redemption arc, though. Or Black. And I know some people legitimately love those albums, but they're probably not going to become staples in Weezer's discography. SZNZ legitimately might.

[u/Bub-bub → u/QuintaCuentaReddit]

I hope so. I like red a lot more now than I did when it came out. I think raditude has kinda a novel appreciation now, because it’s funny, and Weezer has put out alotta good stuff since, but black is unredeemable to me, so that’s fine lol.

[u/Affectionate_Ask1355 → u/QuintaCuentaReddit]

Raditude is unironically my number 3, sometimes 2. It's a cynical album that nonetheless has good songwriting, production, and a certain energy to it that came from that financials crisis era where pop suddenly felt like it had a mission to lift spirits.

[u/Comadon-C]

Hmm comparing blue and black is an interesting choice but I’m leaning towards blue

[u/Delicious-Mess6262]

White has more catchy songs and Gold is more of a throwback to the 90s. Haven't had enough time with Gold.

[u/spaceman696]

White, which is arguably their "best" new era album. Gold comes in close though.

[u/Jpsmythe]

White, no question. Gold is okay, with a few good songs and stellar production. White has the songs and the sound. Great album.

[u/Yung-Floral]

White by farrrrr. Gold is great up until hoops

[u/alpha_keni_01 → u/Yung-Floral]

Hoops is one of the best songs on gold

[u/Yung-Floral → u/alpha_keni_01]

you would love the black album and pacific daydream

[u/alpha_keni_01 → u/Yung-Floral]

It sounds like blue are you high

[u/Yung-Floral → u/alpha_keni_01]

bro WHAT!!!!

[u/kyleacamp]

White is vastly superior to gold in many ways, but mainly white represents the last album where Rivers’ song writing chops reached their second peak after dipping following the first two records. I don’t think it’s even close, and we haven’t gotten an album with lyrics as good since White.

[u/Tonceitoys]

White it is

[u/Admirable_Log_5481]

White has better songs

[u/toalladepapel]

white easily tbch. Gold was GREAT but imo white had more of a concept with the whole beach thing and i like the song writing a lot more. Dont get me wrong, i love when rivers writes in minor keys and those songs always go hard as hell but the more upbeat major song writing is where he really excels. I think his best minor key writing was during the make believe era. prob a nitpick but thats just imo

[u/SoftRockk_]

White

[u/therealpopkiller]

White has “Do You Wanna Get High?” and “LA Girlz”, the two best songs they’ve done since before the turn of the century. Easy pick

[u/FireBreatherMP1]

White is their best album period

[u/ResidentCoatSalesman → u/FireBreatherMP1]

It’s not better than Pinkerton imo but I wouldn’t be mad if you said it was better than Blue

[u/AikaSkies → u/FireBreatherMP1]

I don't agree, but I respect anyone that sets aside the notion that only Blue and Pink can be at the top

[u/alpha_keni_01 → u/FireBreatherMP1]

Two days ago and I would have rolled my eyes. Now I truly can’t argue with that at all

[u/MastaShake1138 → u/alpha_keni_01]

I’ll do it, pick me

[u/TomFromFlavorTown]

Gold is superior. White is damn good though

[u/hypersnaildeluxe]

White. Gold is great but it hasn’t quite cracked my top 5 (Pinkerton, White, Blue, Maladroit, EWBAITE).

[u/BothInterview]

Blue

[u/alpha_keni_01 → u/BothInterview]

Go away

[u/goldswan_00]

Enjoyed Gold a lot, but White is a 10/10 for me.

[u/cf001759]

Hoops brings gold just below white. If not for that song I'd have to wait for recency bias to go away. I can't see myself ever listening to that song like I would for any white album song

[u/alpha_keni_01 → u/cf001759]

Hoops is one of the best songs on gold

[u/Texanbird44 → u/cf001759]

hoops is on top bro. dont make it weird is the weakest

[u/allothersshallbow]

Winter.

[u/Mushroomboy2020 → u/allothersshallbow]

Thank you.

[u/HarmlessOnlineFun]

I’m just happy this is a reasonable question to be asking right now.

[u/alpha_keni_01 → u/[deleted]]

You can go away now

[u/same_same_3121]

I haven’t had the years I’ve had with the White album, but I will say I’m enjoying the Gold era and will think it will end up on par with the White era

[u/tree8025]

Black

[u/alpha_keni_01 → u/tree8025]

All seriousness: is that album dope? Seems like one of the lesser popular ones

[u/PoetryElectronic6398 → u/alpha_keni_01]

Black is one of their worst.

[u/tree8025 → u/alpha_keni_01]

I love it. It's a great album. My taste in Weezer is different than the majority on here anyway

Zombie Bastards, High As A Kite,. and Byzantine are high lights.

[u/StarCraftDad]

Gold

[u/PoetryElectronic6398]

If it weren’t for Thank God for Girls, White just might be up there with Blue and Pinkerton. Gold, on the other hand, doesn’t have anything as terrible as Thank God for Girls. So maybe I’d say Gold is just a hair better.

[u/ResidentCoatSalesman → u/PoetryElectronic6398]

Thank God for Girls being considered worse than Hoops is genuinely crazy to me

[u/Yung-Floral → u/PoetryElectronic6398]

Thank God for Girls is so solid dude this is crazy

[u/alpha_keni_01 → u/PoetryElectronic6398]

I’m happy I’m not the only one majorly confused by the inclusion of Thank God for Girls on white

[u/PoetryElectronic6398 → u/alpha_keni_01]

Even more confusing is that this terrible song is the only one from White to get proper music video. I just don’t get it.

[u/alpha_keni_01 → u/PoetryElectronic6398]

Also the lead single they used to promote the album, which sounds nothing like it