Weezer drop fourth and final ‘SZNZ’ EP, ‘Winter’

Weezer have returned with the fourth and final instalment of their ‘SZNZ’ EP series, a collection of emo- and grunge-inspired tracks titled ‘Winter’.

• READ MORE: Weezer: “This album is about feeling isolated, alienated and secluded – it’s perfect for now”

Like its three predecessors, ‘SZNZ: Winter’ is named for and conceptually framed around its titular season, the first day of which – in this case, December 21 – marked its release. ‘Winter’ taps into melancholic themes like loneliness and longing, most evident on lead single ‘I Want A Dog’. 

Musically, however, it far eschews the notion of a “sad [and] acoustic” release, inspired largely by Elliot Smith, that frontman Rivers Cuomo promised when he detailed the ‘SZNZ’ project last year. While gentler, acoustic guitar-based moments are present on the ‘Winter’ EP, they’re fleeting, with the record’s bulk comprising the angular power-pop sound that Weezer are synonymous with.

Released alongside the EP – which Weezer themselves described in a statement as “the remedy for your seasonal depression” – was a music video for ‘Dark Enough To See The Stars’, directed by Peter Quinn. Have a look at that below, then check out the full EP:

Finalising the yearlong project, ‘Winter’ follows the ‘Spring’, ‘Summer’ and ‘Autumn’ instalments of ‘SZNZ’. Weezer were meant to promote the series with a five-week Broadway residency, but that was cancelled earlier this year due to low ticket sales. 

Nevertheless, fans in Arizona will be able to see the band live at the baseball-themed Innings Festival next February, where they’ll perform alongside the likes of Green Day, Eddie Vedder, The Black Crowes, The Offspring, The Pretty Reckless and Paris Jackson. They’ll also play the Railbird festival in Kentucky come June.

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