CD Review - The Couch's "Old and Touchin' Blue"

Up until this weekend, you could only find some of The Couch's music up on Bandcamp. But that changes pronto, more specifically - this weekend, 12/14/11 at The Mohawk, when they unleash "Old and Touchin' Blue" on the world:

If you like your rock solid, danceable, well-produced, and on the bluesy side, then you should pull the trigger on this deal: Get your ticket for the release party from the good folks at Eye in the Sky Colletive, and they'll throw in the download code, and you'll end up with the LP and a great jam session in one of Austin's finer venues. No-brainer.

So there they are. From left-right, we've got percussionist Jud Johnson, bassist Kyle Robarge, and guitarist/vocalist Taylor Wilkins. [And since this pic was taken, they've recruited multi-instrumentalist Sara Houser (keys, piano, guitar, vocals), so don't be surprised to see her onstage at Mohawk too.]

They come from yonder San Marcos way, but have moved to Austin, so we're claiming 'em. They've done damage all over the place, doing Stubb's, Texas Music Theater, the Wild Frontier Fest; plus done opening duty for Dia De Los Toadies (three times), The Bright Light Social Hour, etc. And this release party won't be the first time they've darkened The Mohawk's door, either.

What to expect? "Shakin' Cause It's Hard to React" opens up the CD quietly, with just bass, electric piano, and Wilkins' vox painting a sedate note, before being obliterated by their more characteristic crunchilious guitar and rockin' drums; setting the tone, as it were, for what's coming your way.

Then you're treated to the stomping-good, neo-classic "The Way You Came", then the radio-friendly, vox-harmonizing "Close To You". Shift a bit, 'cause next up is "New Roman Buffalo", a bluesy thrash-happy rocking piece, with some slower, intimately-pining sections. "Farhan" and "DOKAT" give some serious guitar-slamming sections, and the rest of the tracks walk the bluesy, pop line, all up to the high standards set by the previous tracks. Special mentions: "Milk Thistle" for some exceptional rocking riffs, and "Indian Doctor" for it's creatively-constructed perc lines, string, and harmonizing parts that break away from the blues mold without destroying the blues feel.

If you find you can't wait until that aforementioned Mohawk gig, go here and hear.

Or stay here and dig on the New Roman Buffalo EP, which has 3 of the tracks from the new release:

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Find out more about The Couch on Facebook, BandCamp, and Home Base.

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