The Couch

The big difference between the Couch’s sophomore release and last December’s Old & Touchin’ Blue is the immediately ensuing addition of Sara Houser, a singer and keyboardist whose change of speed adds a depth to an LP that otherwise plays out the same tricks as their first disc. Houser’s theatrical, full-bodied vocals rise above on “Kick the Can” and “Kaiser,” the album’s two finest songs, and her delayed delivery takes the ominous “Ratchet” to the good-time quartet’s darkest corners. Elsewhere, Taylor Wilkins’ upbeat guitar attack on shimmering soul cuts like “Aphrodite” and “Clutch” will do plenty to get feet moving at shows. Don’t fix what’s not broken, but the same old song and dance only goes so far.

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This article appears in December 28 • 2012.

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