Into the Couch

Disheveled Cuss

I liked Nick Reinhart's last record under the Disheveled Cuss name, but the 'back to rock basics' approach revealed that there was room for improvement in his singing/songwriting game, at least in this specific avenue. Once the initial hype died down, a few of those songs sadly faded from my memory. Now that he has doubled down, again foregoing his biggest strengths as a sound designer and technical wizard in lieu of a more acoustic direction, I thought coming through with a compelling record would be an even bigger challenge. I wasn't exactly brimming with confidence, especially after hearing the teaser Creep a Little Closer. At its core, it's a pretty decent song about spiraling into a withering mess - made all the more depressing given its self-awareness - however, it is a fairly tame opener that really could have used a production pump up. Thankfully, and I say this with absolute delight, the rest of the material on Into the Couch totally subverted my expectations and I was left feeling quite impressed.

Now to clarify, we might have been a little mislead into thinking this was a purely acoustic type of record. While the acoustic guitar is the foundation for these songs, there are some moments on here where the production and instrumentation is actually quite varied. Many of these songs are richer for it, like Grease Stain for example. Reinhart's verses that liken himself to an abominable monster are gracefully contrasted with some wonderful trumpet performances by Nate Walcott. Abbott turned out to be another pleasant surprise with all the rushes of overwhelming instrumentation and the chaotic clashing of drums in the second half. It was great to hear somewhat of a return to the freak jazz that he pulls off so well. Jimmy Chamberlin puts an instantly recognizable stamp on Run thanks to his disciplined snare rolls and iconic tom fills. Beyond his performance though, I really like this track for it's loud/soft dynamic as well as the patient pacing of the rhythm in the verses. It's a fantastic highlight. In terms of production, instrumentation, and performances though, this album really couldn't have ended on a stronger note. Still Running reprises the chord structure from Run and repeats it into oblivion. The dark, distinctly midwest emo tone of the guitar creates this very ominous, forlorn vibe and once combined with the absolutely amazing work of David Binney on the woodwinds, we have one of the most emotionally arresting moments on the record. I can't help but compare it to CODY-era Mogwai. I feel similarly about the closing track as well. The slow ballad features some great piano contributions from Josh Klinghoffer as well as some surreal reversed effects that occasionally pop in and out.

Ending the album with these two songs is also a bit of a trip given the reoccurring themes brought up in the lyrics. Many of Reinhart's words reveal a troubling sense of self-worth which seems to be a barrier to many things in his life, such as talking to a girl that he has an implied mutual connection with (Ben Tramer). And just as a side note, I really like how that song ends as I envision a defeated and dejected Reinhart walking away to the sad tune of a slide guitar. In most cases though, these songs kind of have this goofy "haha, look how quirky I am" tone that softens our reaction. By the end, however, that facade fades away. Reinhart sounds genuinely vulnerable as he reveals how much all the time spent inside his own head has played a number on him. It's a supremely heavy feeling; going into territory I couldn't possibly have predicted Reinhart getting into.

So we've got some great songs, great instrumentation and performances, the songwriting and sequencing is thoughtful, and Reinhart appears to be more vulnerable than ever. Despite this, however, there's still a few minor issues I have with this record. While I generally find Reinhart's vocals agreeable - they're often doubled up, harmonized, and damp with reverb - there were a few moments where I thought that his whispered delivery was perhaps a little sleepy or some melodies felt a little off. This was particularly the case on tracks like Bye For Now and Shitty Coffee Table, although, the former is redeemed by the very dramatic piano notes at the end. And lastly, I would say that songs like Remote Viewer and Venus were particularly strong tunes, although, I found they were missing a special something that excited me as much as the other songs I mentioned. Overall, Reinhart has crafted a really solid record, and while it is stylistically quite different from his first album under the Disheveled Cuss name, I found this one to be more enjoyable. Moreover, Reinhart has essentially spearheaded this project independently, making the move away from long time home at Sargent House. For that, I commend him and wish that this album turns out to be a great success. I think he's earned it.