As the crisp fall air starts to creep back into our lives, so does the band, Weezer, reminding us that yes, the SZNZ EP’s are still alive and kicking. Early in 2022, the famous alternative rock band Weezer announced that they are going to be dropping four EP’s, one in honor of each season, and with fall officially making its debut, so has their newest EP.
SZNZ: Autumn dropped on Wednesday, September 22nd and combines all 14 songs from their Spring and Summer album with the seven new Autumn songs for a grand total of 21 amazing tracks. For all-intensive purposes, I will just be going over the seven new tracks, as much as I’d love to go through all 21 with you, we will stick to just their newest releases.
The EP starts off with “Can’t Dance, Don’t Ask Me,” an upbeat song with rather sad lyrics. On first listen, it sounds happy and joyful, but when you pay attention to the lyrics, you’ll hear phrases like “I got a bad case of not loving me,” and “I’m wishing I was doing what someone else was doing.” The theme of self hatred and depression carries through the entire album. Vastly different from the upbeat love songs found on the Spring and Summer albums, Autumn depicts the come-down from those feelings and emotions.
“Get Off On The Pain” and “Tastes Like Pain” are both tracks that allude to the fact that this is just how it is for our protagonist. Almost as if they like the pain that these situations bring. They know nothing else, so therefore, they must like it since it is a repetitive emotion for them. Masochistic in nature, these songs have a strong beat and a very alt-rock feel to them with heavy guitar and drums.
The fourth track, at first glance, is a beautiful love song called “Francesca”, but it has darker undertones. The singer is pining for this person, begging Francesca to want him and to need him the way he needs her. It is a story of unrequited love and longing. Track five, “Should She Stay or Should She Go”, contrasts the previous song by describing a relationship that is painful, yet he can’t seem to leave. From the very start of the song, there are allusions to biblical stories, referring to the summer as a Garden of Eden, but now that the leaves are falling, the Serpent is whispering to her. He is begging God for answers, but not for himself. He is asking whether or not she should stay. The pain this question is causing is clear and there is no straight answer, just desperation.
There is a sense of dependency throughout the album. The protagonists of these songs constantly yearn for a love they just don’t seem to have. “What Happens After You” captures this feeling of dependency with lyrical questions like “You are the only one I ever really loved, what happens after you?” Although each song was in theory, written during different eras of Weezer, the discography is relatively similar. There is a continuity in the despair and in the harder musical tone throughout the album.
The album finishes out with a song called “Run Raven Run,” an odd song that switches tempo and timing multiple times throughout. It is full of vivid imagery, comparing life’s problems with a raven running and hiding from a predator. It is told from a point of view in which the protagonist is watching this raven run away, praying that they make it safely despite the struggles. Then, halfway through the song, it appears to switch narratives. “I’m your spirit animal, I’m going cannibal, there’s only you,” alludes to the idea that now, it is in fact him who is chasing this raven. Only seeing the raven and doing anything to keep it safe, even if it might scare them away. It all ties back into the longing and desperation heard throughout the album.
Weezer is a master at creating moods. I know, that’s an odd thing to say about albums and a band, especially since most of the time, albums are a mix of moods, tempos, and emotions. But, with the SZNZ collection, Weezer sticks with the same overall feeling in each album. Spring is hopeful and loving, Summer is fun and upbeat, and Autumn is longing and sad. People often view fall as a time for change, understandably so, considering leaves change and fall and the weather shifts. With that, comes a feeling of loneliness and sorrow, which Weezer captures beautifully in this album. From the melancholic guitars to the dismal lyrics, this album embodies the more dreary side of fall. Don’t let this scare you off, the musical quality alone is enough to urge anyone to take a listen to this album. Although I am an autumn lover, I am excited to see what they have in store for Winter.