"There's a bluebird that wants to get out, but I'm too clever; I only let him out at night, sometimes when everybody's asleep," writes Charles Bukowski in his famous poem "Bluebird."
The eloquent line influenced the penultimate track of the same title on Spiral Your Way Out by Zzzahara, a high-octane singer and songwriter who was raised in the Californian community of Highland Park.
Bukowski resolutely scribbled of introversion, the methods by which quiet personalities reveal anger and self-doubt, letting the cracks show to encourage self-discovery while protecting themselves by restraining outside involvement.
Still rooted in the skate park-lined streets of Highland Park, Zzzahara is no stranger to breakneck pace and raw, vulnerable songwriting. Their love for Garage Punk icons like Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Tegan & Sara was sparked within the tight-knit skating scene, where this genre once defined their youth.
In an interview with Out Front Magazine last month, Zzzahara shared, "All I sought out was music. It's funny because I ignored every other art. I didn’t get into museums or film or anything like that," while also revealing their passion for discovering niche, edgy artists through forums on Reddit and LimeWire.
Spiral Your Way Out feels like a perfect amalgamation of Zzzahara's interests during their upbringing, while also symbolically representing their voluminous community.
If you were to blend sun-drenched shoegaze like Parannoul, slacker sounds reminiscent of peeling back layers from an early Mac DeMarco record, with a touch of Cure-esque emo and a dash of self-aware, urgent pop-punk echoes of Paramore, Spiral Your Way Out might just be the comforting, humble result of that mixture.
"It Didn't Mean Nothing" is a strong opener filled with barreling rhythms, allowing a defiant attitude to materialize as the Eyedress guitarist admits, "You're a waste of my time," with resignation in the motion of self-kindness. "In My Head" follows as a lush highlight, blending a rousing chorus with cathartic songwriting where Zzzahara feels like they are standing inches away from you.
"Bruised," "If I Had To Go I Would Leave The Door Closed Halfway," and "Wish You Would Notice (Know This…)" utilize steady drums and inward lyricism to express the journey of escaping a toxic relationship by searching for your own soul.
"Ghosts" showcases Zzzahara at their most relatable, with a fractured bridge that feels straight out of a My Chemical Romance record, as they grapple with the painful realization that the one your head loves isn’t the one your heart needs. "I'll find a way to get you out of my head" is a powerful surrender to this truth, as they refuse to conform to expectations, backed by a bittersweet blend of mid-tempo acoustic instrumentation and the purest, most stellar vocals heard on the album thus far.
The latter stages of the record allow the themes of a fresh start to mature your thoughts, leading to more self-caring actions. "Pressure Makes A Diamond" feels most emblematic of this, delivering an uncaged monologue of hometown reflection to the familiarity of fuzzy guitars.
"Head In A Wheel" livens up the energy with barreling melodies and suspenseful drums as the U.S. Velvet member cuts through an absorbing indie-rock soundscape.
The guitars have a sharper bite on "Bluebird" and "NY NY," where The Simps member continues to explore personal growth, closing the album on the idea of needing to flail before a reinvention of the self. In these moments, you feel frustratingly close to convincing Zzzahara to let their guard down, but the effect is subtle—profound enough, yet not quite a comforting embrace.
While the occasional vibe of the album suggests that a few tracks stick a bit too closely to a formula, the themes remain consistent and well-developed as the crisp album briskly moves through its half-hour runtime.
Moving forward, it would be exciting to hear more experimentation in the choruses of Zzzahara's tracks, as added inventiveness could enrich the songwriting and prevent the track titles from feeling repetitive in the short term.
However, the album's atmosphere remains unbreakable, with the self-affirming lyrics beautifully contrasted by scraping drums.
In conclusion, Spiral Your Way Out is not only a stellar showcase for Zzzahara, who stands out as a rising star for those who love uncovering fresh, slick music on forums, but also a thoughtful representation of an LGBTQ+ relationship portrayed with grounded authenticity and natural ease.
Gender is never the focal point of Zzzahara's journey of resilience.
Spiral Your Way Out captures the essence of a sunlit skate through the graffiti-lined streets of suburban LA, with Zzzahara as your guide. Blending the songwriter’s energy with a love for ’90s indie, it creates an emblematic afternoon skate through Highland Park, where the Bluebird lets their true colors shine during a scenic tour of back alleys.
