The wait is finally over. After the continuous singles and hints, SZA has just dropped her new album and it is absolutely show-stopping.

To fully critique this album, I will start with the cover art. The title of the album gives a feeling of helplessness and I think the cover portrays that beautifully. She is sitting alone on a diving board, surrounded by water. This portrays a sense of loneliness and longing for something, which ties into the meaning behind some of the songs. SOS means Save our Ship, which also ties into the ocean theme in her cover art.

The SOS album has everyone in tears, screaming, or smiling through the lyrics SZA so cleverly put together. But, in my opinion, some songs are stronger than others.

After listening to album a few times, I determined that my favorite is “Special.”This song is something people will feel in their gut. The lyrics are so beautifully written and the melody is breathtaking. During my first listen, I knew from the first note that this song would be a powerful one. The lines “I wish I was special/I gave all my special/away to a loser/now I’m just a loser” leaves the listener in a ball of tears.

Next on my list of favorites is “Kill Bill.” This song is about doing anything to not be alone, even if a past friendship or relationship that has ended poorly. Almost every person that has gone through a break-up has felt what SZA is portraying through her lyrics. There is a feeling of anger that comes with leaving someone and finally being alone. It is a feeling like seeing a special someone with another person. There is a sense of anger and loneliness combined that add to the true feeling and meaning behind the song.

Following “Kill Bill” is “Notice Me,” one of the more upbeat songs on the album. One reason I gravitate to SZA as an artist is because she has a way of displaying emotions in a happier way. This song is all about having contradictory emotions. It is like her brain knows that the relationship is over, but her heart is with this person still. It also gives off a sense of conflicting ideas; one of side of her is wondering why she can’t be like an ordinary girls, yet she still wants to be different.

A reoccurring theme of the album is having both sadness and anger towards a person yet still missing them so much. I think that these songs are beautifully written and are worth the listen whole heartedly.

Overall, I think this album has a perfect combination of the upsetting, angry, and confusing emotions people actually go through on a daily basis. I think this collection of songs holds so much meaning, especially for people who tend to feel music more.

Hawk Rating: 9 out of 10 stars