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It also strikes a blow for taking chances and not resting on your accomplishments, but most importantly, Couples is an exciting, challenging listen full of brains, daring, and plenty of icy heart.
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BlenderThe moody disco on Couples is both sleeker and spookier than the sexed-up indie rock of th Blondes' promising 2006 debut, "Someone to Drive You Home."
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In lyrics and music, The Long Blondes have managed to put out a sophomore album just as addictive and catchy as their debut "Someone To Drive You Home."
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Couples is simply a successful attempt to sound both different and better.
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With Couples they've managed to turn two years of inter-band heartache into an ambitious, forward-thinking pop record that tops their debut by quite some distance.
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It's more cohesive than their debut, and just as catchy.
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This time, however, the subject matter is more mundane, and Jackson's flattened vocals are paired with less imaginative post-punk guitars and synths.
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Couples is by no means a terrible record, I just preferred The Long Blondes when they were young, free and single.
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MojoThey've forged a sound that's ambitious and close to unique. [May 2008, p.109]
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Eloquent, glamorous, spirited and now more sonically innovative than ever, the quintet have affirmed their place as one of Britain's most exciting bands with this release.
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Despite the occasional flashes of brightness, it sounds like they’ve taken that brief (an homage to the mundanities of love) to heart.
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Its darker, brooding electro, like the mesmerizing distortion-filled Round The Hairpin, represents a newer, grown-up force for the Sheffielders that’s even more seductive than lip gloss and vintage heels.
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In an attempt to be taken seriously, they've sacrificed too much of their effervescent appeal--after all, enthusiasm and artfulness need not be mutually exclusive.
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Couples clearly demonstrates that, never mind the occasional misstep and overt Blondie influences, this is still one adventurous band who won’t be placed in a box anytime soon.
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The Long Blondes sophomore album, Couples, is a disappointing follow-up to their sublime 2006 debut, "Someone to Drive You Home," but not as disappointing as it initially appears.
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Q MagazineTheir forays into electronica work best.... Sadly, there are too many one-dimensional guitar-pop songs that expose Jackson's flat, robotic voice. [May 2008, p.136]
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From the sassy squeal of Here Comes the Serious Bit to the tension-cranking film noir of Round the Hairpin, Jackson's vocals are nuanced, and the band's punk past goes hand-in-hand with their pop future.
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Couples proves that Kate is no Jarvis, and, more importantly, The Long Blondes are no Pulp.
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UncutTracks like 'Couples' prove their trademark sound is still as strong (and smart) as ever. [May 2008, p.102]
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Under The RadarThis album reins in the melodrama, but the detached posturing that replaces it will liklely leave some fans feeling jilted. [Spring 2008, p.78]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 43 out of 72
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Mixed: 4 out of 72
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Negative: 25 out of 72
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NoelS.May 11, 2008
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RaphS.May 11, 2008
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AnoushkaP.May 11, 2008