House of Music

SZA

SOS

Release Date: Dec 9th, 2022

Review by Alexander Andrade

As SZA is touring and making her way to Oakland Arena, we’ve decided to share what her new album SOS is like. With her debut album “CTRL”, SZA has demonstrated her mastery of the art of inner monologue. Through her deeply personal observations, she has crafted songs that feel both intimate and relatable while remaining untouchable. Her warbled melodies throw modern R&B and pop song structure out the window, allowing her voice to weave in, over, and through the beats. This style of songwriting is reminiscent of the jazzy structure of Joni Mitchell and the technical prowess of Minnie Riperton. Overall, SZA’s ability to narrate contradictions in such a unique and innovative way makes her a truly remarkable artist.

SZA’s unconventional approach to songwriting has proven to be a winning strategy, as evidenced by the triple platinum certification of her debut album, CTRL, in August of this year. Despite not following a traditional formula, her continued relevance and fans’ eagerness for a follow-up album five years later is a testament to her unique talent. In the meantime, SZA has been busy dropping 16 singles and collaborations, including the Oscar-nominated track “All the Stars” with Kendrick Lamar, as well as a number of highly-acclaimed music videos like “Good Days” and “Shirt.” Her summer 2021 hit “Kiss Me More” with Doja Cat broke records, and she even found time to film a movie, drop a line of Crocs, and teach herself to play musical bowls.

SZA’s latest album, SOS, features her on the cover perched on a diving board overlooking the ocean, inspired by a photograph of Princess Diana taken a week before her death. The album explores the emotional space between the “Bad Bitch/Sad Girl” dichotomy, filling it with nuanced depictions of self-doubt and self-determination. The opening track, “Morse Code,” sets the tone for the album, establishing SZA’s confidence and determination even in the midst of self-doubt.

Despite facing public struggles with her record label, SZA’s dedication to her work is unwavering. She wrote hundreds of songs for SOS, demonstrating her growth as a songwriter and musician since CTRL. SOS features a range of genres, with SZA effortlessly moving from belting out an instant classic “fuck you” number to a country song with a pop-punk chorus about revenge sex. The album also includes collaborations with artists like Phoebe Bridgers, though some tracks like “Special” may feel a bit underdeveloped when placed next to the more fully-realized songs on the album. Overall, SOS showcases SZA’s growth and versatility as an artist, cementing her place as one of R&B’s brightest stars.

Her exes better watch out because on the song “Kill Bill,” she sings about wanting to kill her ex while acknowledging that it’s not the best idea. The chorus is catchy and the strolling electric bass adds to the mood. On “Blind,” she sings about how her sexuality precedes her, and how she’s still taking Plan B even when someone talks about having a baby with her. The song has a soothing ballad-like feel to it, with string instruments accompanying her voice. In “Nobody Gets Me,” she sings a tumultuous acoustic ballad reminiscent of “Fade Into You” on an AM radio in Nashville. She offers a carnal scenario of a fight between lovers in the middle of sex at the MGM in Vegas. Despite the rawness and specificity of her lyrics, she manages to infuse humor into her songwriting, and the result is a powerful and melodic expression of her emotions and experiences

SZA reveals her most intimate insights through a suite of mid-tempo songs that showcase her vocal and emotional dynamics. She pays homage to classic R&B on tracks like “Gone Girl,” a heart-rending ballad featuring a warm Rhodes piano that highlights the purity of her vocal range. “Too Late” draws inspiration from mid-80s Janet Jackson and questions whether the breakup was a mistake, while “Far” acknowledges the aftermath and her inability to trust anyone: “I’m far cause I can’t trust nobody,” she laments, and you can’t help but empathize with her. “Snooze,” produced by Babyface and steeped in classic R&B, captures the feeling of being in love before a pitch-shifted addendum reveals her vulnerability: “How you threatening to leave and I’m the main one crying?” The song fades out rather than ending, leaving you wanting more.

Even amidst her emotional struggles, SZA maintains her unique identity. The conclusion of SOS features an Ol’ Dirty Bastard freestyle that she obtained from documentary footage shot by the legendary R&B producer, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins. The sample appears in “Goin’ Down” on Return to the 36 Chambers and serves as a fitting end to an album where SZA showcases her stylistic versatility while staying true to herself. In “Give a Fuck,” she rap-sings over a grimy boom-bap beat, proclaiming, “I’m too profound to go back and forth with no average dork. Give a fuck what you prefer.” Her sound is confidently mature, as demonstrated by her soundly quotable line in “Shirt”: “Damn bitch, you so thirsty.” It’s precisely this combination of confidence and pettiness that has earned her so much admiration for her music and personality. SZA’s talent is out of this world.