Hailing from New York City, SUSS are a three-piece ambient-country ensemble that produce captivating and elusive sound pieces, combining alluring soundscapes with roots-based instrumentation that can transport the listener into a sonic world of countrified bliss. Comprised of members Johnathan Gregg, Bob Holmes, and Pat Irwin, the trio’s output has been relatively consistent since 2018, in which contains various full-length album releases such as 2019’s High Line and the subsequent year’s Promise, followed by masterful country ambient textures and psychedelically-lined compositional work on later albums like Night Suite (2021); which days later would see the band lose founding member, synthesizer player, and filmmaker Gary Lieb, a loss that added greater compassion to the band’s sound and sonic journey. Birds and Beasts comes as SUSS‘s latest effort is a follow up to their renowned 2022 self-titled double album and aims to capture the inner essence of the band’s sound that maintains the Americana-inspired naturalism of previous releases whilst adding more gentile leanings to their repertoire.
The opening track “Birds” is mysterious in its sonic qualities and demonstrates more experimental compositions, which can be heard through a minimalistic keyboard melody that responds to a deeply resonant acoustic guitar line. Over the top we can feel the Americana influences of open guitar chords tremolo-ing their way into the mix. “Restless” brings more fragility to the mix in contrast to the first release through simplistic guitar loops and bright synth-based textures, making use of the expanding sonic space that the artists create for themselves. The record continues to bring an organic feel that puts great emphasis on minimalistic composition and delicate instrumental articulation. “Overstory” attempts to produce these elements from a basic foundation of elongated synth chords to construct the soundscape, the guitars, along with the use of ebow and pedal steel adds depth to the piece whilst we can listen and explore in our own time how the track progresses.
A sense of liberty is omitted from these expansive ambient textures. “Flight” personifies a release from tension and awakening to transcendence, alluded to by the orchestral leanings of violin and pedal steel string arrangements. “Prey” appears much darker by contrast, instead being a shorter track that focuses its energy on more psychedelic sound experimentation. The distorted rumble of the bass and Gregg’s pedal steel create an alluring primal suspension of sound that begins to feel more ghostlike by comparison. Following on from this, “Beasts” almost appears like an answering to the previous track in the way it starts by transforming from the disconcerting synth loops to a more ethereal piano-lead piece that is married by warm instrumentation fixed on the ambience of the track.
The final track “Migration” is actually an older track that was composed during the band’s earlier days and is the sole track on the record to feature Gary Lieb on synthesizer. You can certainly get a feel for the band’s trademark sound through the use of harmonica and minimalist guitar hooks, yet they somehow find a way to captivate you and comprehend the innermost complexity of SUSS’s songwriting, the articulation that feeds into the sonic development, the simplistic nature of the instrumentation that finds a way to explore otherworldly territories, and the constant call and response between the musicians that communicates a range of moods and stylistic shifts throughout the runtime of the track.
Birds and Beasts appears as arguably SUSS’ most personal record to date. With the loss of Gary Lieb, it seems like a reawakening of the band’s sound that conveys sincerity and delicacy in order to communicate without words where the band are currently. If you’re like me and are just discovering the ethereal and powerful nature of SUSS’s country ambient sound, then I urge you to go back and listen closely to the articulate delivery of their sound and understand the intricacies that make up a kaleidoscope of musical possibilities to be explored.
