When I crossed the border from Massachusetts into New Hampshire on my way from Cleveland to Portland, Maine, the guitars immediately started playing in my head. For me, the first association with this state is the band Say Zuzu — an alternative country project from Newmarket that I discovered just a couple of years ago.

A Random Playlist: From "Colorado" to "Better Days"

My acquaintance with the band's work began in 2024. The song "Colorado" accidentally ended up in my playlist, and I instantly felt something familiar in it. I downloaded their album "Here Again: Retrospective" (2022) — essentially the only compilation that could be found in open access.

It is funny that a band with such deep lyrics (alternative, folk, roots rock) never officially published their song lyrics. I had to decipher the words by ear, which only strengthened the sense of presence.

Say Zuzu's songs played during my travels across Russia and the US:

• Vologda — Kirillov: "Better Days," "Diane," "Highway signs." When northern villages and road signs toward Karelia flashed outside the car window, their music about roads and melancholy hit the bullseye.
• New York — Binghamton: Night, the state of Pennsylvania, the song "Pennsylvania." It was a literal coincidence of geography and text: "driving down to Pennsylvania..."
• Washington (Dulles Airport): Waiting for a flight to Istanbul while listening to their song "Government job."
• Cleveland — Portland: The entire drive through Ohio and Massachusetts was accompanied by their "Driving Songs" album.

The Missed Concert

The most frustrating moment of the trip was the news I learned post factum. On August 8th, Say Zuzu played a concert in Portland. On the morning of the 6th, I was already sitting on a plane, flying from Portland to Washington. If my initial route had included an overnight stay in Maine on the 8th, I would have definitely bought a ticket.

The Story of the "Italian Phenomenon"

Say Zuzu is a classic "best kept secret" story in America. The band was founded in 1992 by brothers John and James Nolan and their friend Cliff Murphy.

• Roots: The name refers to an old Nabisco cookie commercial from the 1930s (where children shouted "ZuZu's Petals!").
• Independence: Their 1995 album "Highway Signs and Driving Songs" was recorded without a label.
• The Paradox: Moderate success awaited them in the US. But in 1997, the disc fell into the hands of Italian rock critic Paolo Carù.
• Result: The band became cult figures in Italy. They toured Europe for years while remaining virtually unknown at home.
• Bull (1998): Their most famous album, which finally brought them offers from American record labels.
• Reunion: After breaking up in 2002 (bassist James Nolan left to get a degree in International Relations), the band reunited in 2021. The release of "Here Again" became a bridge between their past and present.

The Smartest Man in Indie Rock

Cliff Murphy deserves special attention. He is not just a musician.

• He is a graduate of Brown University with a PhD in American Music.
• He was an ethnomusicologist for the state of Maryland.
• He currently heads the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in Washington, D.C.

This explains why their songs are so layered. When Murphy sings about a "Government job" or road signs, he does so as a man who has studied the American soul.

Conclusion

Say Zuzu proves: to understand America, you don't have to listen to stadium rock. Sometimes you need to find a band that broke up 20 years ago, whose lyrics aren't translated into Russian, and which is more popular in Italy than in the US.

Their music is the voice of real, unglamorous America. The very same one I saw from the window of a Greyhound bus.

David Polyakov (Special Correspondent for API TV from Portland, Maine, USA)