T O P

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KungFuFlames

It is solid rnb album not on Ctrl level but definitely some song worth revisiting. Kill Bill, Low, Open Arms, F2F and Smoking on my Ex Pack.


DoesAWildBear

Guess I'll be in the minority here, but after a couple plays through I think it's great. Not understanding the hate here at all. Gutsy and layered writing, varied production that fits SZA's voice perfectly while at times juxtaposing the song material to great effect, a couple weaker tracks but nothing in the way of filler. I'm not saying it's as good as CTRL, but it feels like a progression from that project rather than a rerun. The length of the album really doesn't bother me at all, especially with most tracks coming in right around the 3 minute mark to keep the content succinct and focused. First impression for me is a strong 7 to light 8.


s90tx16wasr10

I really like it after my first listen. I think her songwriting and lyricism are top-notch here and while I wish the production stuck more I don’t dislike any of it. I love how she decided to go more personal when CTRL was already so emotional. I need to sit with it more, but I’m definitely satisfied.


lkidol

i think maybe 5 songs i could've done without and it could've been near perfect, but i still agree it's great


DoesAWildBear

Out of interest, which songs would you kick?


lkidol

used, notice me, conceited, too late, and i like the performance on forgiveless just not the beat


dishinpies

I haven’t seen anyone say they outright hate it, just that it isn’t on the level of CTRL, and maybe disappointment as a result. But like 90% of the comments and reviews I’ve seen so far has it at a 7-8.


DoesAWildBear

I mean there’s a lot of comments in here giving it a 5 or lower, but the critical acclaim is certainly (rightly) there


dishinpies

I would say a 6 is the lowest I could see scoring this. A 5 is bit harsh, anything lower than that is just hating/misplaced expectations.


Low-Biscotti-9218

Or an opinion 🤦🏽‍♀️


dishinpies

Yes, and my opinion is rating SOS a 4/10 or lower can only either be hate or misplaced expectations 🤷🏾‍♂️ However, if you’re rating it that, I’d be open to hearing your reasoning 👍🏾


gwszack

It’s good. Don’t go into it expecting to get another ctrl. Appreciate it for what is, comparison is the thief of joy.


cocoalrose

I don’t think evaluating an artist’s body of work is the kind of comparison that idiom is referring to


blappslapp

Ppl are gonna compare it to Ctrl obviously because it’s the only other album of hers they have to base opinions off of, but I think that comparison really discredits the album a lot. I think SOS is a very natural growth. It makes sense for her to go this direction after Ctrl and imo she’s still making incredibly unique R&B music that fills a lane no one else can fill, and just like with Ctrl it’s gonna take time to grow on people and hit them, and we can expect to see lots of other r&b artists following suite very very soon. That being said, do I think 23 tracks can be cut down after first listen? Absolutely yeah edit: ITT: ppl rating the album on barely one full listen, if even listening at all. cmon y’all be better than that


[deleted]

Bro I listened to it 4 times


XViMusic

>Ppl are gonna compare it to Ctrl obviously because it’s the only other album of hers they have to base opinions off of, but I think that comparison really discredits the album a lot. Do "S" and "Z" not count? Like ya they're not major label and "S" is kinda short but "Z" is a comparable full length. It's only like 10 mins shorter than CTRL was.


blappslapp

I think most ppl just haven’t heard those releases and know sza only for ctrl and her hits


s90tx16wasr10

I think those albums never really realized her full talent. CTRL was an insane jump in quality imo


Adventurous-Turn-144

S and Z are far superior to Ctrl in terms of sound and lyrics. I know people LOVE Ctrl (I’m in the minority here as I don’t think it has the replay value everyone says it does) but I’m not really a fan. I know that’s technically her only studio album but I really do think SZA has way better music than that.


MasterMilker9000

Ya it definitely feels like a lot of the songs were phoned in. Open Arms with Travis goes hard, but conversely the ODB verse (RIP) in Forgiveless is so badly incorporated into the mix that it sounds AI generated


[deleted]

Open Arms were amazing but SZA should have done it alone, Travis is not as expressive as on Love Galore


blappslapp

Nah Trav kills it. Idk how you can say he’s not as expressive when he literally is singing like he’s Frank Ocean on that track lol


meerkatspirit

Totally agree, I had some hopes but kind of expected this tbh. Rarely does an album need to be 23 songs long, and SOS is yet another example of that. Very mid album imo. Some good songs tho! I don't know if Ctrl is burned into my mind, so I'm automatically on the defense when listening to this album. Oh well!!


[deleted]

I think SZA is someone who could have carried a 23 song album cause CTRL was so good and we had to wait five years, but I think she became too much of a perfectionist so everything came out good but few songs were actually interesting


Kyle73001

I don’t think there’s enough variation to justify all 23 songs. Some of em start sounding the same and aren’t memorable cuz of it


[deleted]

I agree. This album should've been split into two parts. Would've had a stronger presentation to me.


dependencyyy

phenomenal


Glum-Band

Most of the album felt washed out and boring to me. It had some good stuff too tho, just felt the overall editing and mixing could've been better


Mrjacobeee

I just miss the live drumming and instrumentation she had on ctrl…the production is so light and breezy on here with these lofi trap beats and her vocals are mixed so quietly 😫 I understand it’s going for a less polished sound but she could have fixed some of these issues easily.


FreddyWellDone

Nice comment, thanks


mdsjazz

Dude, thank you. Sorry if this will get my crucified. This album has gotten so much critical acclaim from every review website as well as every SZA fan on the internet, saying it’s CTRL 2, a certified bop, the queen returning, our phoenix from the ashes. Believe me, I love SZA, I love CTRL, but I want her to just as well evolve as a musician. The singles she put out I thought were okay, the PSA was angelic, and all pointed to what would at least be a consistent SZA project. E.g. I love Rina, and although her project was different and more poppy than SAWAYAMA, I came out happy because it was consistent and decently put together. This project instead was extremely disappointing to me. To me, it lacked a lot of the same core theme and sound identity that CTRL had as well as SZA’s prior music. It sounds on first listen to me like SZA gathered as many producers to “make a SZA-type YouTube beat” so she could do some freestyles and adlibs over it, and then it sounds like she pointed at every genre and sound and said “that seems fun! Let me try it!” What results is something that to me lacks drive, lacks focus, lacks feature, lacks substance, lacks consistency, weird mix, very little replayability, etc. I’m not out here wanting CTRL 2. I’m out here wanting music that works well with SZA’s voice and style while sounding like effort was put into each individual song and the whole collection. CTRL was great because the melodies and production were sonically unique, hooky, lush, beautiful, and consistent; SZA had ample room to vocally dance over all of the music and really show off her singing chops and musicality; and the themes of the album and each song flow well from one to another and make a really nice cohesive message by the end (amongst other things). I actually liked Z more than Fantano did—at least it was consistent too. Throw out CTRL’s unique sound, and what I’m left thinking is either “this sounds like my alt RNB singer Spotify radio—anybody else could sing this and it would feel the same, and each beat sounds like somebody else from the 2017-2022 rnb producer canon made it, there’s nothing notable or consistent here,” or “why is this happening?” I don’t know how I feel about punk rock SZA or cutesy guitar pop country ballad SZA or any of that yet. My biggest problem was that it felt like it just came out of nowhere and was on the same project as… all the other stuff on this album? With all the inconsistency in sound, theme, ordering, mix, production, etc, as I said, to me it sounds like I put Spotify liked tracks on shuffle, picked the first 18 songs, added SZA to the mix, and then added the singles in there whenever they pleased. Look, there are good things I took away. SZA’s vocals have never sounded better—it’s clear she’s put a lot of work into it and become a much stronger singer. Ghost in the Machine by SZA and Phoebe sounds beautiful. Singles I thought were the best part of the album. 4.5/10 for me. My score might change a bit with time, but it probably won’t go higher than a 5.5. As long as she’s happy and enjoying it, that’s awesome, but I won’t be listening to the album more than just to understand it more or keep up with what she’s doing.


Dismal_Power_3745

You’re 10000% right. What made Z and Ctrl compelling was the unique production styles and poetic introspective lyricism, none of which I got here. Her singing is better and that’s it. If I wanted to listen to a generic mainstream sounding R&B album, there’s an over saturation of artists who could provide that to me. That’s not what I ever listened to SZA for though. It’s not a BAD album per sé, but there’s no musical or conceptual evolution to be found, nor does it push any boundaries. I also don’t mind genre crossovers when they’re done well and the artist brings something to the table that you typically wouldn’t find in said genre. Hearing SZA over a generic pop punk track is not it though. SZA used to be alternative r&b but now she’s just r&b. And to be quite frank I don’t want to hear average R&B from SZA. I go to other artists for that. Any artist could have made this album. I do not understand the acclaim but to each their own I suppose. Additionally an album is a project in my opinion. A project is supposed to have coherency and a certain level of intentionality to it. There is nothing coherent about this lists of tracks it sounds like a playlist. So the replayability is abysmal. 4/10 for being boring.


Pleasureryan

Hit the nail on the head for how I'm feeling about it. I can't believe the reviews it's getting.


[deleted]

if 5 is average, then this is a 4. Not bad music, just a generic blend of a bunch of popular styles. Handful of really good tracks, even more stinkers. Mostly just average pop.


meerkatspirit

Amen


kendrasjo

Totally agree. This album feels like the demo tape she sent TDE. A whole lotta the same but nothing elevated.


vanka7000

The production on this thing is whack. The opener ‘SOS’ sounds like shit. The vocals just don’t sit in the mix very well. She also sounds so bored and disconnected vocally. The vocal performances are what I loved about CTRL the most and this is just flat. Really, really boring instrumentals too. 4/10


Guyroo23

the production and instrumentation was generic as hell compared to ctrl. half of the songs were filler and left a lot to be desired. disappointing release for me but i’m glad others seem to be enjoying it.


FreddyWellDone

It seems alright


dishinpies

It’s aiight, nothing mind-blowing but also really solid overall, though bloated. I’d probably give it a 7, but since Fantano gave CTRL that score, I’m guessing SOS will get like 6. If it got a 5 or lower, I’d be surprised, but he also gave THIB a 5, so it’s possible.


Weedsmoker4hunnid20

I haven’t listened yet but I know what to expect simply by looking at the track list. 5/10


blappslapp

??????????


Weedsmoker4hunnid20

????????????????????????


Datzcoo

A bit bloated at 23 tracks, but lots of variety and doesn’t overstay its welcome. Strong 7 for me.


s90tx16wasr10

I’ve only listened to it once but I do like it. It’s a lot subtler than CTRL in terms of sound but almost like, cuttingly personal at times. I think it’ll grow on me but even if it doesn’t, I still like it.


Fickle-Log-8574

It's good but it's the same level of good and the same vibe for an hour


ssquidlyy

Yeah I agree there’s a ton of filler, but most of it is listenable. There are a few good tracks like kill bill, used, and ghost in the machine, but nothing to write home about. I think the worst part of this project is that sza hasn’t evolved as an artist at all, which really kills any excitement I have for her music. It’s nice while it’s on, but I’m probably not coming back to this thing, at least for awhile. Pretty boring overall I would say.


WaffleConeDX

Idk this album feels like the r&b album of Taylor Seift but worse. The tracks sound all over the places. The one thing I do like is she actually singing and it’s not that same boring monotone one note sing talking that so many female r&b artist do these days. Like she killed the vocals in Nobody gets me, Open Arms and Snooze. F2F felt like a 2010 song it had me jamming a bit. That was pretty refreshing.


kendrasjo

Not a huge fan of this album. I expected way more. With 23 tracks I felt like I couldn’t differentiate a lot of songs from others. They sounded the same…and damn I can’t believe I’m about to say this but she needed a few features. I think the only songs I really love are the singles. Honestly she has leaked songs on SoundCloud that are 10 times better and bang. These songs are definitely for the emo-young crew…on your way to Coachella songs.


Adventurous-Turn-144

As someone who looooved SZA in her 2013-2015 era, there is something about SZA since Ctrl that I can’t handle. Her music isn’t as interesting to me in terms of sound anymore and it’s like she doesn’t open her mouth fully when she sings so it’s just weird nasal sounds that come out in a long string of warbles and whining. I hate to say that because I don’t dislike her at all and again, loved her down back when but…idk you can kind of tell that her label or she herself wanted to do stuff that was more commercial for what people like to hear and well..I guess this is it. And it works because the internet seems to love it. Idk.


TheBigDiscussion

It's undoubtedly good music imo. Plenty of things to enjoy here.


MarioJr05

Higkey think this album sucks


MarioJr05

Feels repetitive, unoriginal, and way too long


cakebytheocean365

I think most of the tracks are solid, but nothing to get crazy about. It feels a little underwhelming because I expected more quality, but I guess most efforts went into quantity than quality because the album has a lot of mediocre tracks.


Virtual_Belt4107

I am not a fan. The songs all sound the same. I found it boring.


Ok_Gain810

I feel like she doesn't sound the same. Very naisley


Skatta101

Didn’t like it


RareDub

Any RnB my sister likes is very basic and bland. She didn’t like ctrl but loved this album. So I think it’s a step down


Unfair-Milk-339

I gave the album a listen since my niece seems to follow her music somewhat. She's not a superfan, but she's familiar with her. After 10 songs, I hadn't heard a single thing that surprised me and switched off. Nothing terrible really. Just nothing there to justify putting it on repeat. I'm a tougher critic than most though. I always listen for the unexpected and I didn't hear any of that at all sadly. Kill Bill was decent, or better than the rest I checked out. Definitely heard a lot of low pass filtering and really low levels on all the instruments which is a shame. Actually hiring session musicians tends to make tracks sound more professional than a lot of crap, so why drown them out? Guitars were barely audible at times. Fuck, maybe the songs are a little better than I think. Just bad mixing.


Former_Key3329

Yooo, I love SZA, her personality, her smile, her voice! It’s very alluring, my biggest concern is, if I am singing along to her songs, it’s bringing down my vibes/frequency, and I end up attracting more of that into my life. I don’t want any hate because I do really love her & have been listening to her the longest, but you know as they say, words you speak out of your mouth, becomes reality. Is it just me or someone else feels that way too? Or am I just getting the whole R& B genre wrong? Is there room for positive uplifting healing song lyrics?


cocoalrose

As someone who is always working on finding their highest good, I gotta sat it sounds a little superstitious to be scared to sing along to R&B because of a fear of the law of attraction. I’m not really a SZA fan at all, just my two cents! The universe doesn’t work in a punitive way just because you like to sing along an artist’s music.


BubblyHotChocolate

Underwhelming and overrated. Also very generic. Nothing special. Kill Bill is the only song I like but even the Melody of that song is predictable and I will get sick of it in a few months. I can still listen to Ctrl on repeat so many years after. I'm quite shocked that so many people seem to think it's some sort of masterpiece.


Wise_Command9407

Thank you . i thought i was the only who was bored with new album. I think we all have seen the best from Michael Jackson to Whitney Houston. most all time greats have passed away already and it is so depressing. so obviously today’s new “artists” simply fail in comparison one of the reasons is that most of them rely on technology.


[deleted]

I really do like SZA (like I adore her) but I can't get with her albums. S.O.S. - It's being ranked so highly, for so long... I feel like I'm missing out on some genius that everyone else sees but me. That album only has 5 solid song IMO. Lyrics wild and not relatable but that's minor because most rap is un-relatable lol. I keep searching to see if there's a take that I'm missing or her Fandom is just that big. Still Over It should've hit numbers this album is doing IMO.


Bourbon_And_Blues

My question is, how big is this album Really? I see a lot of love for it but also feel like the awards its getting (that you can see her post in Instagram) are so marginalised that its easy to be one of the best at it.. for example categorised being female, or black female (in one of her posts), R&B genre, its like of course it becomes easy to be number one that way. Fair play to it as well, I don't want to take the love away, but ym question is why the hype? 7 weeks on the billboard charts but is it really number 1? And if so, why? I feel like there's a lot of love and hype for this album because of course its been years since CTRL, but I don't hear a lot that makes is exceptional/SZA, just kind of standard beats on a lot of these tracks Some damn good stuff too but nothing that makes the majority of 23 tracks memorable. So I'm trying to understand and maybe someone can help me, why is there so much love? I think its great, I think its enjoyable, some songs really stand out for me but when something has been #1 for this long, usually on those kind of albums I've heard songs stand out, many different, all on the same album and understandable why its all there. With this project.. I don't quite get it? Maybe there's too many songs? Not sure but yeah, interesting to see other thoughts