Weezer‘s new self-titled effort (which the band has already dubbed the ‘Red Album’ to differentiate the disc from its similarly named siblings) hits stores June 3. You may have already seen the video for first-single “Pork and Beans,” which sports some creative casting—an all-YouTube-star cast.
Viral video celebs making cameos alongside the Weezer fellas include Mr. Chocolate Rain, Mr. Evolution of Modern Dance, Miss Pronunciation (aka Miss Teen South Carolina), and many more. See if you recognize them all (while trying not to lament the minutes lost watching their original claim-to-fames):
My favorite part? The nod to the re-dubbed G.I. Joe PSAs.
“Pork and Beans” (the song) was written in response to Geffen Records’ request for something more commercial from the band. Frontman Rivers Cuomo’s not-so-subtle jab back? Lyrics like: “Timbaland knows the way to reach the top of the chart / Maybe if I work with him, I can perfect the art.” Cuomo told Entertainment Weekly, “No one pushes Weezer. I’m a huge Timbaland fan, but there’s no need to have him on the Red Album.”
Weezer did, however, ring up Jacknife Lee (who recently helped right R.E.M.) to produce “Pork and Beans” and a few other tracks for the band’s sixth disc. Whether the results satisfy label honchos, cranky critics, and dedicated fans will be decided soon.
Preorder Weezer (Red Album) from Amazon, iTunes. The deluxe version features four bonus tracks.