Today, June 21, 2022–the first day of summer–saw Weezer release SZNZ: Summer, their latest EP. And there’s a lot to unpack.
Weezer Release ‘SZNZ: Summer’
SZNZ: Summer is the second of four releases the band has slotted in their SZNZ series. It follows SZNZ: Spring, which dropped back in March. And what comes next? If you guessed SZNZ: Autumn in September and SZNZ: Winter in December, give yourself a gold star. Preferably on your forehead.
The SZNZ: Summer EP consists of 7 tracks, so you get a lot of bang for your buck. I mean, think about it: a band can drop a three-song set, call that an EP, and call it a day. Eight or more songs are considered a proper long-player. So you’re basically getting the maximum number of songs you can get on an EP with this latest SZNS installment. So thanks, Weezer. And if you’re thinking: “I’ll bet I can stream the new EP on that Weezify app the band launched a few months ago,” give yourself another one of those gold stars. You can put it on your shirt this time.
Live on Kimmel
To celebrate the release of the new EP, Weezer dropped by Jimmy Kimmel Live to debut the track “Records.” And that’s where the fun (and confusion) began. First off, Rivers Cuomo is sporting some sort of tunic, maybe? And calf-high moccasins, perhaps? His hair and makeup are on point and although the whole aesthetic is tough to pinpoint, it somehow works with what the rest of the band is doing and how the set is laid out. Oh, and speaking of “the rest of the band,” Weezer apparently has a new member. It’s a keyboard player dressed like a wolf.
Check out the performance below, alongside a throwback to their spring appearance where they played “A Little Bit Of Love” from the SZNZ: Spring EP, complete with a bunny on a mandolin. If there’s some sort of connection going on here, we’ve yet to figure it out.