If artists are considered to be the summation of their influences, then the upbringing experienced by 22 year old Jennings Couch has served him up with a veritable feast from which to define his musical palette. Born in the urban wilderness of New York City, raised in the quiet tranquilly of rural England and made on the streets of West London, this is a man who embodies the virtues of his environments whilst imbuing his artistic output with reflections of all of his life experiences and observations to date.
A chance meeting with record producer Kevin Malpass set Couch on a path to which music would take on central importance in his life. In Couch’s forthcoming debut album, the pair have produced a startlingly powerful body of work which manages to balance the notion of embracing universally appealing lyrical themes with a musical path less trodden; a conscious rejection of the preordained formulas commonly used to write music. The pitch perfect harmonisations and anthemic arrangements that Jennings creates provides fans with rich and varied soundscapes that compares to the likes of The 1975, Coldplay and Alt J. His lyrical content deals with a range of philosophical, social and scientific ideas from studies of time to quantum physics, demonstrating a level of intellectualism and maturity way beyond his years.
It is an adoption of British eccentricity that goes beyond the novel or the skin deep, resulting in an enthusiasm for amassing retro collectables, from pocket watches and clothing, to furniture and rudimentary tech. This is a character formed in part by his environment, yet utterly bereft of the notion of conforming. With Couch himself the embodiment of the archetypal classic front man, bringing a genuine drive and charisma on stage, theirs is a show like no other. By early 2017, and having perfected their craft week in and week out at numerous haunts across the UK, Couch’s band were on their way to Austin, Texas to perform at SXSW. Initially only invited for one show, they managed to gain the attention of numerous promoters and demand was such that they were added to the line-ups at both the The Apple Music House and the BBC British Music Embassy at Latitude 30. It was a vote of confidence embraced with open arms.
Jennings Couch’s new single Serotonin is a powerful alternative rock song inspired by the neurotransmitters within the human brain and their effect on behaviour. He has once again managed to take an idea so abstract such as neuropsychology and morph it into the relatable subject of two lovers. Through enchanting lyrics and trance- inducing melodies, Jennings Couch urges the listener to delve into the world of Freudian psychotherapy, just for a moment. The accompanying music video, taking the form of a Victorian therapy session, reinforces the entrancing nature of the music. Check out Serotonin below!
We managed to catch up with Jennings as he talked about the latest single and more!
How has the release of Serotonin gone so far?
I would say the ‘Serotonin’ release has been pretty successful so far! There’s been an overall
positive response to the song and video. I look forward to seeing how it might create some more buzz
online.
Tell us something about the track no one knows about.
I’m not sure if people are aware of this but the song is actually written as an ironic love song. Listen
to the lyrics and see what you think!
What was your favourite moment while recording the video?
I think my favourite part about filming the video for ‘Serotonin’ was getting to shout in the face of
‘Freud’ the therapist. I had to act like I’d gone mad because he had in fact “been playing havoc with my
serotonin”.
Do you still visit your birthplace in New York City and do you think the live scene is better in
America or UK?
I’ve not been to NYC for probably 5 or 6 years now. I was so young when I leZ that most of my
memories of childhood are from living in the UK. However, I would like to go back soon to experience
the nostalgia. In terms of the live scene, I honestly don’t know what it’s like in America. I would say
the UK live scene is more suited to the kind of artist I am looking to become.
If you could work with any artist or band on a new song, who would it be and why?
I’ve been influenced by a lot of new music recently, one of my favourites right now is ‘grandson’.
He’s got such a unique sound of combining electric guitar riffs with trap-like beats and a harsh vocal.
He’s someone I’d really like to work with.
Will there be a tour at all soon?
We have been trying to plan a European tour for the new year, so hopefully, it works out! There is a
possibility that my band and I will be heading to China in December to play a couple shows at a festival
there. It’s sGll in the works though! For the rest of 2017 there are a number of UK lives dates though!
Are you set to release even more new music this year?
Oh yes. My plan is to release a new single every month. I’ve been experimenting a lot with different
sounds and concepts so this will be reflected in each new single. I believe its important to hit people
with new music very regularly. It seems like an affective way to grab their aCenGon and get them
listening.
What was the first gig you ever attended as a kid?
The first show I remember attending as a kid was a Duran Duran show in Madison Square Garden in
New York City. I can still remember them playing ‘Rio’. I remember I got a rather ugly t-shirt that had
3/4 sleeves. This is back in the early 2000’s when 3/4 sleeves were cool… not anymore. I must have
been about 7 or 8 years only when I went to that gig.