Weezer's new album Raditude contains a number of songs that represent the latest in a series of departures for the band. On their last album, band members Brian Bell and Pat Wilson were much more involved in the songwriting process, and they even took lead vocals on a few songs. This time around, Rivers opened the doors for a number of people outside the Weezer camp, including members of the All-American Rejects as well as Jermaine Dupri and Lil Wayne on a song called "Can't Stop Partying." But there is one person that Cuomo wanted to work with on the album but was undone by timing and logistics.
"One of the things I'm really looking forward to trying is writing a country song," Cuomo told MTV News on the set of the band's video shoot for Raditude's first single "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To." "I reached out to some Nashville writers, and they're all down, but they all want me to go to Nashville. I'm a big fan of Tim McGraw, so maybe it'll be some kind of evil spawn of Weezer and Tim McGraw."
Weezer's collaborations won't be ending when the record is released on November 3, as they're also once again working with the Muppets on an album. According to Cuomo, the band is halfway through recording "The Rainbow Connection" for Muppets Remastered, an album of Muppet-centric tunes set to come out early next year. The band last collaborated with everyone's favorite foam friends in 2002 on the "Keep Fishin'" video, one of several hits from the band's fourth album Maladroit.