Review: SOS Deluxe: Lana
Roughly two years after the release of her sophomore album “SOS,” SZA released its deluxe version on Dec. 20. Entitled “LANA” after a childhood nickname of SZA’s (whose real name is Solana Imani Rowe), the deluxe version adds 15 new tracks to “SOS.”
“LANA” is somewhat of a return to form for SZA, reuniting her with the RnB roots she established in her debut album “Ctrl.” This sets it apart from “SOS,” a genre hopping project with elements ranging from indie to rock. The lush production, bass lines and snare that characterized much of “Ctrl” are all back in a big way, with some new funk and bossa nova sounds added in. The production isn’t quite as deep and original as “Ctrl” though. Some songs sound too similar to each other, and SZA seems unwilling to take the same risks she did in “Ctrl.”
Lyrically, SZA is the same vulnerable, screwed over, jealous woman she has always been. “I swear I’d be at peace if it weren’t for you/Only want your love if it’s solid” she sings with Kendrick Lamar on “30 for 30.” She embraces self love on songs like “No More Hiding,” where she sings “No more hiding/I wanna be real me, ugly.” A low point of the album, perhaps the lowest in SZA’s discography, is the whiney “BMF,” which interpolates the bossa nova hit “The Girl From Ipanema” in the worst way imaginable. High points on the album include “What Do I Do” and “My Turn,” which both bemoan the fallout of a breakup.
Perhaps what makes SZA a perennial hitmaker is the ease with which one can relate to her lyrics. She seems to achieve this feat because of the distance she places between her songs and her personal life. For a celebrity, especially one known for her relationship troubles, the general public knows shockingly little about her actual relationships. We don’t even know who she is dating at the moment, much less her entire dating history. In a music landscape dominated by artists like Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar, where you have to read an autobiography to understand a single lyric, SZA tells a story where the main character can be you.
In typical SZA fashion, the rollout of “LANA” was a protracted, stilted and needlessly opaque affair, dragging on for more than two years. She began teasing the deluxe shortly after the release of SOS, alluding to it in several Instagram posts. Fans then waited another two years for the full project, which, in an ironic twist, was delayed 15 hours after its slated midnight release date because the mixing for some of the songs had to be corrected.
SZA’s disorganization is nothing new, and it works to the great detriment of her projects. She is unable to conjure up a cohesive vision, story or even aesthetic for her albums, and it often makes them feel jumbled. Ironically, the problem seems to be SZA’s perfectionism, which seems to prevent her from releasing any project she is not 100% happy with. Also an issue is her approach to music making, which she has said involves recording dozens of songs and seeing what appeals to her. Neither of these practices are conducive to cohesive music making. But perhaps scarcity and a lack of focus are the prices we must pay for a quality SZA album, which “LANA” certainly is.
Or is it? “LANA” is not, of course, an album, it is the deluxe version of another album. SZA has added 46 minutes to an already bloated album, which dilutes the effect of the moniker “deluxe.” Unlike a standard deluxe version of an album, “LANA” is not meant to be listened to in conjunction with “SOS.” In fact, its production and themes are disparate from the original album. So why is it a deluxe version? The cynical answer is that SZA wanted “SOS” back to the top of the charts, a feat she achieved. The charitable answer is that SZA recorded too many songs and couldn’t decide which ones to include. The realistic answer is probably a combination of both.
