USS
Advanced Basics
Coalition Music
Advanced Basics is the fourth studio release from USS, the Markham-Stouffville-bred strum nโ bass duo Ashley Buchholz and Jason โHuman Kebabโ Parsons. Buchholz, songwriter/mad scientist-in-the-psych-ward blends dark humour and dad humour (the line โformaldehyde and seekโ in โNepalโ, for instance). This adds a necessary buoyancy to the weighty subject matter, which threads addiction, the difficulties of loving damaged people (as a damaged person), and a buttload of heartbreak. The character of Kebab-as-hypeman is quieter than ever, opening the album with a quick โHere we goโฆโ in โHydrogenuineโ and a few hearty wooโs in โYin Yangโ. His presence is felt in his trademark scratching and filthy beats. USS are more confident in each other and their abilities on this record, again joined by producer Tawgs Salter (Approved, Lightsโ Siberia) who also exudes a deeper understanding of the band. The album sounds like USS, but more developed than ever before. Theyโve come back from summer vacation with breasts, and itโs hard to stop staring.
The ambitious โBuilt to Breakโ finds Buchholz at his angstiest; โI donโt mean to trip/ but itโs easier than dealing with itโ is balanced by a triumphant arrangement including manager and one-time Not By Choice drummer Liam Killeen. The single โYin Yangโ almost never was โ the release of the album was pushed back to accommodate its production. Its addition balances the more morose tracks on the album and serves as an easy analogy for the bandโs dynamic โ the passive, reflective, sensitive Buchholz contrasting the aggressive, extrovert Parsons, and in each, a dollop of the other.
If you hate USS, this isnโt the album that will change your mind, but casual fans and diehards alike will dig it.
Linda Julia Paolucci (Twitter @Lindiglo)
Album Review: USS – Advanced Basics
Linda Julia Paolucci