I Fear... by SZN4
I Fear... by SZN4 / 3 stars
Closer / 2
4U / 2.5
Ordinary Lover / 4.25
Run / 3.5
Dead Body / 3
Let's Be Clear / 3
Private Show / 4
Time / 2.75
Bayou / 3
Soiree / 3.75
Imprint / 2.75
Pop That Trunk / 3.75
Back to Me / 5
{I wanna hold you}
{and lie in this bed}
{'Cause pretty soon I'm gonna be}
{laying in the imprint you left}
{When you love someone,}
{you should let them free}
~ Imprint
Conflicted is the word that comes to mind when I want to talk about this album, so much so I wrote it and then circled it in my thinking notebook. I have a lot of opinions around this album and this band, so I'll get right into it I suppose.
I have been following SZN4 since they first were formed. SZN4 was a band that came out of the show Building the Band on Netflix. Everyone else seem to have decided that the only bands they want to create are girl/boy bands that exclusively do pop songs. Now don't get me wrong I enjoy indulging in such music every now and then, but it can get quite tiresome and similar after while.
SZN4 pushed back on this and instead of creating yet another pop girl/boy band they created a co-ed group of two men and two women, they each have incredibly unique and beautiful voices. I enjoyed their performances and though they may have not won the show, they were the winners in my heart. One of their best performances was their cover of Human by Rag'n'Bone Man.
I just rewatched that and, ugh I got chills again. I can just feel the emotion sitting in my chest when I listen to them sing like this, and when Donzell comes in (guy on the right) it's just so beautiful oh my god. Also Donzell if you ever see this I love your voice so much, you have one of my favourite voices I've ever heard.
I digress, all I'm trying to say is these four as a unit have so much potential together. Yet, despite all of this, their album honestly fell flat for me. It almost breaks my heart cause I had such high hopes for them. I still think they have that potential and I certainly won't be writing them off just yet, but I think some things need work.
{Pull my pillow close}
{and hold it tight}
{Why do all my lows}
{float in at night?}
~ Bayou
For a start I would like to address some marketing choices they've made. Now, obviously, marketing does not make an album, nor does it really affect the quality of songs. However SZN4 have posted a few different visualisation clips on social media when their album was coming up, and these visualisation clips appear as though they were generated by AI.
That's a big accusation to throw out there, I know, and the thing is I do not know if they are AI or not. There has been no confirmation either way from SZN4 that I have seen - please send me anything if you happen to find out one way or another. If these clips are AI and SZN4 supports AI in creative spaces, or at the very least are indifferent enough to think generating visualisation clips for an album is fine, I don't want to support them. But because I don't know the full story I'm still listening to their album, writing about it, and showing them support.
However I would also like to point out that in another post they tagged an artist called Rralph Louis - the visuals on the post they are tagged in look much more real and not AI generated. Overall, I am not able to say for definite whether AI was used, and I would love it to be cleared up, but for the time being I will give the benefit of the doubt to SZN4.
{Let's play pretend}
{I'll close my eyes}
{Coffee turned}
{into goodbye}
~ Time
Now onto what is important about this review - my opinion of the music itself. I'm repeating myself here but I am conflicted. It is very hard for me to feel strongly either way, on whether I like or dislike this album. There are a couple songs that stand out for me, Back To Me and Ordinary Lover, which I can see myself consistently enjoying.
For the most part I have to say I think I'm disappointed, I know how incredible SZN4 can be and I just don't think this album delivered on everything they can be. None of them really reached full potential with their voices in the same way they did back on Building the Band.
When I watch their performance of Human, I get chills, and mid way I can feel emotion in my chest from their voices. I never got that feeling from this album. Overall my feelings were quite blasé, I was either indifferent to the song, or was nodding a long a little and thought the song was okay, but I didn't get that emotion from them like I have in the past.
I'm not saying every song they bring out needs to be so intense I'm sobbing the whole time - that's a silly expectation - but when none of the songs really deliver any sort of emotion? On a whole album? I was just disappointed.
I felt the lyrics were a little empty in places too if I'm honest. This is their debut album, they haven't necessarily written many songs as a group together yet, and they definitely have plenty of time to improve. But I think what I hope from their future are deeper lyrics, and overall more emotion in their songs, make me feel something, otherwise, what's the point?
{Who said it's wrong}
{when the flame burns}
{all of your actions up?}
~ Run
Also might I just add - what is going on with Private Show? The song is actually great however it feels like someone took two very different songs and threw them together with a sudden transition between the two randomly. I love both parts in their own way, but it just does not feel like they fit together, and maybe should've been put into two separate songs because both parts drag each other down rather then enhancing the song.
As for my favourite song it's quite clear what I'm going to pick:
Back To Me
So this was one of the first songs SZN4 released as a group after being on Building the Band. I loved it and would listen to it constantly - it really made me have high hopes for the music. After this song they then did a Christmas EP and if you should know anything about me it's that I despise Christmas music - nothing makes me more irritated, and there's not a genre I hate more.
Sorry I'm getting off topic. My point is for a long while this was the only reference I had for what SZN4 might sound as an actual band releasing music and by god is it promising. The beat is so fun to bop along to, and their voices are much closer to their full potential. It isn't really an emotional song like I was talking about earlier, but it really doesn't have to be, especially when it's just a single song, I just feel like there should’ve been at least one song on the album that fit with it.
Overall I'm yet again still conflicted about this album as a whole. Every fibre of my being wants to love this album and the songs as much as I love the band members, but I just can't bring myself to. I will still be keeping an eye on them and hopefully you'll notice me return with another review on them in due time when they hopefully release another album eventually!
That's all for now and I hope you enjoyed this post - there's plenty more to come, I have so many opinions on some other albums that I really want to share with you all!
Till next time,
Proffessor Nutkins
{Are you anywhere, even in the dark?}
{Shadow on the glass mirror of your heart}
{Searching for a place}
{Somewhere close and safe}
{Pocket on your shirt}
{Feel your warm embrace}
~ Dead Body
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