Wasted Mind –

Jah Werx –

Alright, been wanting to highlight this band for a few weeks actually. Back in the first half of December I saw them at an excellent small bar concert in downtown Boise. Because of the Christmas-themed and end-of-the-year posts I’ve been doing, this record got pushed back by a few weeks, but now I’m all geared up and ready to dive into some discussion 😀

& I’m Fine Today (2017), by SUSTO. I love covering smaller bands that aren’t as well known. There’s always the tantalizing possibility that who you’re listening to could possibly be tomorrow’s next big name. And if you asked my opinion (well, you’re reading my article, so I guess you are asking…), I genuinely feel like these guys could really develop a serious following!

First, let’s talk a little bit about their name. The term “SUSTO” is derived from a folk illness that is part of several Latin American cultures. When I say “folk illness” I mean it’s not exactly a “real” illness, or at least from a medical/scientific perspective, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t real to the people who are plagued by it. Wikipedia describes it as what would medically be considered a panic attack, but Justin Osborne (lead singer/songwriter of SUSTO) expounded upon it a little more. He added that it can be something simple like general anxiety, or more serious like deep depression. It is believed that these symptoms are caused by a separation between your “spirit/soul” and your body. Obviously the existence of a spirit or soul is near impossible to prove from a scientific point of view, but I really do believe there is some inherent truth to the notion.

Alright, that’s cool and all, but what about the band itself? What are they like? Well their current lineup is a 5-piece band, consisting of Osborne, Corey Campbell, Jenna Desmond, and Marshall Hudson. Their musical sound jumps around a bit, but overall, they have this Alternative Country vibe with some deep Americana influences and some fun Indie flare to their performance. Lyrically, SUSTO’s music also ranges from being chill and silly, to being challenging and thought-provoking. Frankly, their music really reminds me of Father John Misty’s material (and that’s a great thing!), but maybe with a little less satire and not as cynical ^^;

The album & I’m Fine Today (which, by the way, is an awesome name!) is an impressive sophomore album. Their self-titled debut in 2014 was definitely a strong start (and “Vampiro 66” from that album, is still one of my favorite tracks from them) but I think their second album really is a big leap forward for SUSTO. The record is sequenced in such a way that it flows smoothly between different musical styles and balances out its serious and light tones effortlessly. Overall, the album tackles everyday struggles that we are faced with and how hopeless one can feel when caught in the middle of these troubles. BUT the album always manages to bounce back with the comforting sentiment that in the end “everything will turn out fine.”

A great example of this ideal is the final track on the record, “Jah Werx”. Built around a fairly simple refrain, it affirms that notion that everything is fine. At times, the track feels spiritual and transcendent, and when the band finished their live set with this fitting song it was easily one of those moments you wished could stretch on for forever. But whoops! I skipped over the first track I chose to feature. “Wasted Mind” is a song that gradually grew on me each time I heard it. Initially I was planning on choosing something complicated like “Gay In The South” or my introduction to the band, “Waves”, but after listening to the album on repeat a few times before writing this, I knew I had to go with this one. The tune starts off slowly with a distinct alt-country sound, but gradually grows throughout itself into something more. Eventually it fades off to silence just to come back even bigger than before with the title being sung on repeat.

SUSTO is a band that I would love to see go somewhere (well technically they already have “gone somewhere” since they’re on tour in Europe right now, but you know what I mean…). I feel like there is something honest and real about what their lyrics and their musical diversity is an important trait to have in their sound. Looking for some more impressive music from SUSTO? I’d suggest another track from this album “Hard Drugs” which I almost chose for a track to feature. If you want something a little fun and a tad silly though, the music video for their song “Chillin’ On The Beach With My Best Friend Jesus Christ” still makes me laugh xD

SIDE NOTE: Somehow, I have failed to mention this in literally every single relevant Monday LP, but I’m actually a pretty big fan of colored vinyl (although not a huge “picture disc” fan, unless they’re pretty minimalistic). I wanted to mention it this time, because the alternate color for this vinyl is much less noticeable, as it is a very dark maroon color with some marbled texture (I should make a habit of describing the version I have when introducing the record…). Sure, there are definitely some times where the colored version may not have as high of sound quality as just a traditional 180 gram black vinyl pressing may have, but that normally depends more on the pressing plant used instead of the actual color chosen in my experience. Also the fact that I’m not as big of an Audiophile as some people, may impact my opinion slightly ^^;