SZA - S.O.S.

Any/All
I actually think this is such a massive improvement over Ctrl that it makes the former sound a bit tame in comparison? When I read comments about this album, I actually think they are largely owing to the fact that in the age of streaming we are used to this idea of art by demand, albums that cater to our needs, series that fit our genre expectations, music that serves as a dumping grounds for our own projections. The absolutely idiotic claims about the lyrics being "toxic" (the album is fucking called SOS, it's supposed to come off as a cry for help) and SZA not showcasing musical growth (while F2F and Ghost in the Machine are right there)... I don't know, there seems to be a lot of demand that music should fulfil a particular role, and not quite as lot of listening to it for what it is.
That's why I admire SOS in its uncompromising rawness and honesty so much. I love that she didn't go for giving people what they wanted, but for expressing what she needed to express. In doing that, I don't even think she does it in a particularly obscure or unfriendly way, pretty much all the soundscapes are very listener-friendly, especially considering the weight and depth of the material. There are moments when the lyrics I catch on make me feel slightly uncomfortable, because they refer to the emotions I have myself experienced, but never voiced because they were deemed improper. In a world so obsessed with sterilized self-imaging and narcissistic "self-care" this kind of rawness is not just welcome, but even a bit subversive in the subtlest of ways. To me it sounds like a beacon of hope and a reminder that humans are ugly, flawed and chaotic, but their emotions are nevertheless real and can give birth to something beautiful.
 
When I tell you that this album has taken over my life in the past week and I am still marinating in it? I love getting lost in an album.

Also, as far as growth is concerned, people had the same criticisms about Lana from album to album. Maybe sometimes artists just have subjects they are preoccupied with and enjoy exploring? Not everything has to be a radical reinvention from album to album, sometimes it can just be a refinement.
 
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SZA swerving the sad white girl "fuck me on morphine" brigade's dirge music and instead serving her version of noughties emo pop rock...

Those who had stable childhoods in the 2000s are really missing out!!!

"MISSIN MY DADDY WHEN THE NIGHTS GET COLD!!
WISHIN I DIDN'T WANNA SELL MY SOUL!!"

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Why would you assume someone who stans Lana had a stable childhood ddd
 
I don’t think SZA or her team is a very “let’s push singles in an organized way” type, but I think it should go:

Kill Bill
Seek & Destroy
Gone Girl
Snooze
 
I’m a bit obsessed with this album. I never really dug into CTRL - I remain a flop, I’m aware - as it felt a tad too subdued for me, especially as a summer release, and I can’t tell if it’s the time of year or my current mood, but this new collection really hits hard. In a weird way, this feels like the winter version of Un Verano Sin Ti in scope, length, and variety of soundscapes. It’s the perfect playlist for these cold months, shifting back and forth between emotional melancholy and icy bops. I will say, unlike most here, F2F and Nobody Gets Me are the weaker moments for me (I’ll just never be a Fueled By Ramen girl and while the latter reeks of ‘hit’, all I hear is Greatest Showman), but that only stems from the perfection that surrounds them. Conceited, Kill Bill, Gone Girl, Too Late, Notice Me, Seek & Destroy, Good Days, Blind, and Forgiveless are some of the best songs I’ve heard this year.
 
I had to tell my husband we were lucky to see Omar when we did and he didn’t fully understand dd I find the whole album hard to sit through in one listen unless I am in a SZA mood. Certain songs are making their way into my mind Blind and the obvious ones like kill hill and nobody gets me. I will say the opener knocked me off my feet on first listen. She comes vocals full on and I love it each time.
 
I've really warmed up to Nobody Gets Me. The second verse alone makes the song worth it. That or Kill Bill are both great second single choices. I could see her team pushing Low and Special next, unless they have a trick up with their sleeve with the deluxe. I wish they'd push F2F, but it'd probably be difficult, ddd.
 
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