After more than a decade of shows, singles, albums, hits, and fan favourites, USS (Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker) has released their final studio album, Einsteins Of Consciousness to kick off the new year and begin the end their musical experience as a duo.
Ash and The Human Kebab have been working together as a duo since 2017, released their first single ( Hollow Point Sniper Hyperbole) in 2008, and since then have become Canadian favourites on tour, picked up a 2015 JUNO nomination for Breakthrough Group of the Year, put half a dozen songs in the Top 10, and have cemented themselves on the music scene in Toronto, across the country, and beyond.
But now, it's time to get ready to enjoy one last bow and say goodbye.
The 12-track Einsteins Of Consciousness is 40 minutes of what the duo has always done best. It's got the beats and electronics that will make you feel like dancing, the songwriter-y qualities that will have you listening to Ash's voice as he moves from one verse to the next and grabs you with a hook in the chorus. As a farewell album, it avoids any letdown of going through the motions or cashing in one last time for the sake of doing so. And that would have been easy.
USS - Happy
USS has travelled the world, played their music, won over crowds of fans, and had a good time doing it. But it all started in the Parkdale neighbourhood of Toronto (so did this website) and they will always be remembered as a Toronto band that grew to be something more.
With songs like Happy (approaching the Top 10), Big Life (26 Letters), Odd Times, and Feel Alive on Einsteins Of Consciousness, you could be forgiven for thinking they were just getting ready to start a new chapter in their story with this album. In a way, they are, of course, it just happens to be the last one.
USS Top 10 - By The Numbers
In talking about their career and experiences, the band said (in a press release), "Looking back, it's insane to think that the two of us were able to see the world and make a living doing what we love to do, and on our own terms no less! Seeing the number of bands that have come and gone throughout our time together, we're incredibly humbled by the support that all of our fans and friends have given us for many, many years. We have enough great memories to last us several lifetimes, and we look forward to hitting the road to say a proper Thank You & Good Bye when it's appropriate to do so. To say that we couldn't have done this without you is an understatement, but please know that we are so thankful for our time together, and that we hope you've enjoyed listening to the music as much as we've enjoyed making it for you."
More details about the duo's Thank You Tour will come in the future when things are more certain and safe. Stay tuned for that. We will be.
We can't wait to hear some of these new songs on that tour. Big Life (26 Letters) is likely at the top of my list - but tracks like Medicine, Balance, and Dragons are going to be a lot of fun too. Honestly, these guys are entertainers in their bones, we've seen it, and while it will be a mix of nostalgia for their past work and being in the moment with the new album, it's going to be special.
Calgary Stampede 2017: USS Photo Review
Across the 12 songs on Einsteins Of Consciousness, USS hits fans with everything they would expect from them in an album. If this is fan service, it's well done. If it's coincidence (we know some of the songs have been in various forms of completion since as far back as 2017), it's serendipitous.
If you've loved USS over the last dozen years, this is an album you'll want to put on and listen to. Then put on again and sing and dance when you've got the hang of it. But you could have guessed that already based on everything they've given us over the years.
USS - Feel Live
We're hesitant to call anything a goodbye in the world of music because there's always a sliver of hope or possibility that something could happen in the future. So for now, we're comfortable calling USS's Einsteins Of Consciousness the last planned studio album - and we're willing to concede that the Thank You Tour will likely be their last.
But there's always a maybe out there, floating around in the kind of vast expanse of the music universe that Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker has always been in.
Check out the full tracklist for Einsteins Of Consciousness now, and hit play to start listening. Enjoy!
USS, Einsteins Of Consciousness Tracklist
