It’s formidable, it’s sprawling, it’s artistic, it’s Weezer‘s new SZNZ undertaking. Again when the California band introduced 4 EPs primarily based on the seasons cycle at the start of this yr, questions had been raised: How much like Vivaldi’s 4 Seasons would this be? Has the band now entered the “Classical Weezer” period? Would Summer season‘s songs all sound like “Island within the Solar”? Will Rivers Cuomo proceed rocking the mustache + mullet combo he boasted on the “Hella Mega Tour”?

Now that Weezer has launched the ultimate installment of SZNZ, Winter (out Wednesday, December twenty first), we’ve acquired our solutions. Although impressed by Vivaldi’s authentic idea, SZNZ is Weezer by way of and thru — that being stated, Cuomo has primarily based every season round feelings, somewhat than lean solely into the environmental elements of the altering seasons.

Spring started jubilantly, Summer season continued coasting with group at its core, Autumn channeled dance rock whereas including a bit extra misery to the emotional palate, and now, with Winter, Cuomo meditates on loneliness, despair, demise, and the necessity for consolation (and coziness). The EP’s first observe and lead single, “I Desire a Canine,” wastes no time in attending to the center of Winter: In a extra solemn, singer-songwriter type, Cuomo requests the companionship of a canine, “as a result of generally people maintain all of it inside.”

It’s a candy sentiment, and although the band finally cranks the amount knob all through the remainder of the EP for some traditional Weezer guitars, Cuomo opted to maintain issues extra, properly, winter-y.

“Musically, the unique inspiration was that I needed to attempt to incorporate some ’90s-era singer-songwriter kinds like Elliot Smith,” Cuomo tells Consequence of the undertaking’s remaining installment. “I simply stored meditating on unhappiness. And I assume that manifested as loneliness and a necessity for companionship and understanding, and feeling like I’m not getting it.”

Winter is definitely probably the most meditative of the SZNZ bunch, and contemplating the existential climax of ultimate track “The Deep And Dreamless Sleep,” it’s probably the most weak, too. However because the EP ramps as much as a rousing finale, it offers approach to the joyous starting of Spring, engaging in the cycle that the band at all times supposed. Weezer has been pulling out all of the stops to keep up a fast and constant output, and SZNZ is by all means a artistic and bold approach to provide their devoted fanbase with extra standout Weezer tunes.

Now that they’ve completed the cycle, they discover themselves in a little bit of a lull — however not for lengthy. Cuomo mentions that they’re proper on the verge of a “huge tour announcement,” which is definitely welcome, provided that they haven’t launched into a proper headlining tour since 2019. However now that they’ve completed a quartet of EPs primarily based on seasons, a covers assortment, a metallic LP, and 6 totally different colours of self-titled albums, it’s price questioning what idea will encourage the band subsequent.

Forward of the discharge of SZNZ: Winter, Consequence chatted with frontman Rivers Cuomo to debate the undertaking as a complete, performing Winter‘s tracks reside this yr on the Troubadour in Los Angeles, and what might come subsequent from one in every of rock’s hardest working bands. Learn the complete Q&A under.