SZNZ: Spring

*"the crowd excitedly waits to see if this is finally the album so bad it gets cam to finally give up on weezer. then the crowd remembers the teal album and oh boy, if that couldn't do it nothing will"*

*--Gregory Severin*

**SZNZ: Spring** is an EP by the band Weezer. It was released on 3-20-21 and reviewed by Cam the following day. It is the fourth Weezer album officially reviewed by Cam for #music. It is the first in a series of 4 seasons related EPs entitled SZNZ, all of which Cam will review. It received a lukewarm review from Cam, who cited its disjointed nature. It was also the first of Cam's reviews where he rated individual songs on a scale of 1 to 10.

## Cam's Review

### Introduction

Weezer are the most bizarre and frustrating band ever. I went through a massive weezer phase freshman year of college. Of course I did. I was a very single 18 year old, and Weezer had just come out with the White (not that white album) Album which still kicks major ass. We were in the middle of the Weezer renaissance, and I still probably know more useless shit about them than I do any other band, even though I can’t say I’ve willingly listened to them since my last review. Following the White Album they came out with Pacific Daydream (bad), the Black Album (worse), and the Teal Album (what). But just when I had given up on them for good, they come out with OK human which was pretty damn good. I was excited for the followup, Van Weezer, but whaddaya know, it’s really not good, and I’m as out as I’ve ever been. Their new project is a set of 4 EPs inspired by the 4 seasons, entitled… SZNZ. Oh god. The Spring version dropped on Friday. It’s time for the certified Can review

### Songs

#### Track 1: Opening Night

Hey maybe this song is about baseball! That’s a spring thing! Oh man Rivers’ voice sounds really bad. “Shakespeare makes me happy! So happy!” This song does not make me happy. Oh wait some guitars just came in. I kinda like this part. Oh it’s going back to the other thing. Is this Vivaldi? I know it’s a classical song, and my Jeopardy brain tells me Vivaldi would make sense given the theme. The chorus sounds kinda Pinkerton but it does not at all mesh well with the verses. Let’s give this one a generous 4/10

#### Track 2: Angels on Vacation

Hey maybe this one is a baseball song! Sadly it is not. This is another one where the verses kinda suck, but I’m enjoying the chorus. I’m getting the vibe that this song would grow on me if I listened a few times. At least more than the first song would. Somehow, I don’t see myself listening to SZNS: Spring a few times. Ooooh wait this song has a dip in the middle. They always do stuff like this really well. Oh man it was building so well and I was really enjoying it until the stupid bubblegum guitar hook came back in. This one could have been great. I’m going to give it a high 5 or low 6. Let’s go 5/10 to balance out the generosity I gave Opening Night

#### Track 3: A Little Bit of Love

This is one I had heard previously. I did not like it on first listen. I’m liking it more this time. It’s a cute little optimistic song, and I consider myself a cute little optimistic guy. This would be a great simple album closer. But this is track 3 and the lead single. And that makes me less tolerant of the lyrics and general boringness. Still, let’s give it a 7/10. It’s catchy

#### Track 4: The Garden of Eden

Oh I do not like this one. I much prefer the version by I, Ron Butterfly “I haven’t felt this good since velcro sneakers came along.” This song is a big nothing and I am actively not enjoying it. I guess the doo doo doo part being sung by presumably Brian is ok. Bad, very bad. 1/10

#### Track 5: The Sound of Drums

If this song is anything but a 3-minute drum solo, it’s an instant 1/10. This one is maybe worse than the last one. Who would ever listen to this? Ok the chorus feels like a real Weezer chorus. Just like the first two, it’s got a weak verse and a solid chorus. But the verses are worse this time, and the choruses are… I’m not sure. Hey it’s a guitar solo! This song has some pretty good moments and some really bad ones. For a song called the sound of drums, the drumming is pretty lame. Let’s go 3/10 but it’s a high 3?

#### Track 6: All This Love

Man, what’s with the song titles on this album? Could they be a little more creative? A Little Bit of Love *and* All This Love. Is this going to be followed by covers of *All My Loving, A Love Supreme,* and *All My Love?* Honestly, I bet a garage rock cover of All My Loving would play really well to Weezer’s strengths. Can we speak that into existence like people did with the Africa cover? Ok back to the point. This so far is the first one where the first few seconds haven’t been distasteful to my ears. This song is like the bizarro version of the rest of the other songs on this album. AMAZING verses and pretty lame chorus. Like if you took the chorus from Angels on Vacation and tacked it onto the verses here it would be like a 9/10. Ouch that key change was awful. Let’s give it a 5/10 and call it unfinished

#### Track 7: Wild at Heart

The 7th and final song. Maybe this one’s a hockey song! Did Rivers just rhyme “hope” with “misanthrope?” NO HE RHYMED “ROAD” with “MISANTHROPE” WHAT? WHAT? Ok I need to pause and start over because I’m distracted. I’m not hating this one except for that one line. Very Weezery guitar chorus, but it doesn’t feel like it’s going anywhere. Nope, it didn’t. Let’s give it a 6/10 I guess?

### Conclusion

I didn’t hate SZNS: Spring as much as I wanted to, but also I can’t help feeling like it could have been a lot better. It feels weirdly disjointed, especially for what’s supposed to be a concept album. If I remember Van Weezer, and I don’t, I’m pretty sure that album had the same issue with the songs themselves feeling disjointed. It’s like different chunks of music are being slapped together and called a song. Actually, that might be exactly what they’re doing. With the exception of The Garden of Eden, there wasn’t a song where I didn’t really enjoy at least one part of it. But it just all feels so boring. Overall, how about a 4.5/10. Enough to make me interested in SZNS: Summer when that comes out and hopeful that it’ll sound like the white album, but not too hopeful

### Further Comments

So I gave sznz summer (sic) a second listen because I had a drive that was exactly as long as the album and also I hate myself. So tracks 1 and 7 were better than I remember but the rest were worse than I remember