Sometimes, a breakdown is required for a breakthrough. No one is more aware of that sentiment than Los Angeles-based musician, Unfortunately Steven. As the cosmos would have it, a moment of mental vulnerability in 2016 inspired the “Me In My Mind” artist to record an album that is arguably the most accurate zeitgeist of millennial adulthood.
Curated over a span of nearly four years, Groovy Avocado Disco delves into the psyche of someone experiencing Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), a diagnosis for excessive anxiety associated with physical symptoms that range from sleep disturbance to gastrointestinal symptoms. It’s also an acronym that Unfortunately Steven chose to come up with the title of Groovy Avocado Disco, giving foresight into how he turns lemons into lemonade. The theme of mental health and therapy runs throughout the 20-track album as listeners are privy to Steven’s real-life therapy sessions intercut with meaningful songs about his true feelings surrounding the nuances of being a human.
“The concept of the album is a full therapy session from start to finish,” Unfortunately Steven said in a statement. “From walking into the session a human balloon filled with crippling anxiety and depression, to leaving deflated and ready to take on the week. The album begins by walking into therapy, sitting down, and spilling the daily truth.”
The journey starts optimistic enough with a music kiss titled “Entrance,” a smooth, funky-disco dance bop that feels like the 1970s. The good times quickly evolve to the quirky “Me In My Mind,” where Unfortunately Steven delivers heavy lyrics when he sings, “People drive me mad, their judgement makes me sad,” over an upbeat, jazz-infused jingle.
Learn More About Unfortunately Steven On Bandcamp
It’s the perfect segue into the medium paced, cynical “People Are Stupid.” It’s through this song that the artist delves into the dark side of anxiety he feels is caused by the idiocy of people. He croons that the only way he can cope is by self-medicating. The jazzy track is disrupted by a heavy metal outburst that rocks the easy-going vibe at its core, another colorful illustration of how mental health can fluctuate between calm and sudden chaos in a matter of seconds when triggered.
Steven’s first therapy session unveils as the fourth track. A short, 22-second snippet reveals Steven and his therapist talking about “everyone being selfish” and “no one’s considerate,” in a remarkably vivid conversation that reveals some signs of why Steven has anxiety and has lost hope in humanity. He follows the tidbit with “Life Is Too Expensive,” a song about not being able to afford the cost of living as a California resident. The universal song definitely taps on the current economic climate bogging many people down as the U.S. deals with repercussions from a worldwide public health crisis, inflation, and the onset of a recession.
Watch the “Life Is Too Expensive” Official Music Video
Next in the queue is the country, folk, and alt rock influenced “Cosmic Connection.” At the start of the song, Unfortunately Steven beautifully lays down vocals about a romantic encounter with a stranger in his head. Without notice, his feelings change and the desire he once had transforms into disdain. Beautiful, comedic, and entertaining all at once, “Cosmic Connection” is the flower caressed by sweet dew in a wild jungle of heartfelt songs.
The second soundbite of a therapy session is inserted right before “The Art Of Failure,” where Unfortunately Stevens analyzes his expectations against his actual contribution to life. He sings, “I can never do right / I’m always f**king up all the time / Don’t matter how hard I try.” The lyrical conversation with himself consummates with a wholesome band sound met with a solid rock instrumental reminiscent of Nirvana, circa the 1990’s alt rock era.
In “Therapy #3,” the therapist analyzes Unfortunately Steven’s need for perfection but inability to accept a compliment or the realization that he’s good enough. Another therapy session follows with the two having a candid discussion about the L.A. musician tapping into his talent as a singer and how that causes more pain for him. Ironically, the follow-up song, “Strawberries And Rain” begins with the lyrics, “My back hurts,” already hinting at a transition in Steven’s mood. The sonically superb rock song is playful and serious, simultaneously. Unfortunately Steven has no quells about delving into the complicated emotions of feeling happy and sad all at the same time. All of it spells chaos, and he embraces every degree of those emotions, something that was probably encouraged by his therapist.
“Therapy #5” focuses solely on the impact of self-medication through medical marijuana on his mental state and his use of the GAD prescription Lexapro. He admits that at times, cannabis makes him more cognizant of his anxiety issues, although the Lexapro is working. “Five In The Morning” explores his journey into anxiety prescription and not wanting to “wake up” in the full-length upbeat, drum-and-piano song. Midway through “Five In The Morning,” he infuses a therapy session about “tripping” over a dreamy instrumentation before skidding into the metal clanking of musical chaos.
Enters the self-hating revelation, “Piece of S**t,” where Unfortunately Steven dignifies his existence with a vulnerably honest inner thought that turns seemingly comical. Yet, the deep sigh he takes at the end of the song lets the listener know there’s nothing funny about Steven’s emotions. “Therapy #6,” entails the therapist’s thoughts about being a recluse and not wanting to face society. His therapist calls his actions of wanting to stay inside noble, however, pointing out the pressure from society to be social, all the while this same society creates an environment that’s not conducive to social behavior. The session’s conversation smoothly maneuvers into a plea for assistance in “Help Me Randall.”
Unfortunately Steven then covers his complicated relationship with his father and how it has influenced him to see the world as “entertaining and funny,” despite the irony and negativity. The longest song on the album, “Tom Hanks” explores Steven’s desire for the Forrest Gump actor to be his dad in one of the few slower songs on the album. Steven sorrowfully sings about the lack of a bond he had with his biological father, cementing the root of his mental health issues that conveniently makes a powerful statement at the end of the explorative project.
As Unfortunately Steven so eloquently said, “I like to think of myself as the the blueberry girl from Willy Wonka…I’m fully blown up with anxiety and by the time therapy has concluded, I am deflated and ready to take on the week. The hour of therapy in this case, works out the root cause, being some unresolved father issues, and by the end, I’m left with nothing. I am empty.”
“My Nothings For You” is a nearly three-minute entry in which Unfortunately Steven offers an emotionally gripping storytelling experience supported by classic piano. Unlike the groovy entrance of the album, Steven chooses to end the project with a brief finale to his therapy session where he simply schedules his next appointment, ultimately suggesting that the work is never done.
Unfortunately Steven, born Steven Ramirez, explains, “The medication makes it tolerable to live and no longer feel bad, but the unfortunate side is that I no longer feel good. I don’t feel depressed (yay) but I’m also not happy. The album demonstrates that awkward middle ground where I have nothing left, but all of the nothing I have is for the listener. The reality for me is that there isn’t really a happy ending or any ending for that matter. This is a reminder that it takes continuous work and effort to fix your mind.”
Overall, Groovy Avocado Disco, an album designed to be listened to in order, is about mental health awareness, society, introspection, and coping mechanisms. Although the lyrics tend to be on the self-deprecating, depressing side, Unfortunately Steven maintains a careful balance with heavy, meaningful lyrics driven by an underlining optimism and comedic sensibilities derived from his colorful delivery.
Groovy Avocado Disco is available now on major music streaming platforms. Or listen below:
