A former punk drummer, the Jersey City-based Couch reinvented himself as a solo artist in 2016 via the shockingly strong Animal Instinct EP. Animal Instinct introduced the world to his soulful, synth-laced pop, earning him labels like "a Bryan Ferry pop crooner" (Louder Than War) and "unpolished and charming" (High Times).
Couch's songs are gems – infectious rockers and ballads, descended directly from the power pop and new wave greats of the late '70s and early '80s. For debut full-length Mystery Man, Couch enlisted Peter Mavrogeorgis as producer and co-musician – Mavrogeorgis' production credits include Grinderman, Sharon Van Etten, and more. The result: ten perfect songs, bursting with Couch's songwriting prowess and quirky charm.
"My favorite bands are Cheap Trick and The Ramones," says Couch, "but this is more of a personal record than a band effort, highly influenced by power pop solo artists like Nick Lowe." Add to that, some of the synth-candy of new wavers like The Cars and The Psychedelic Furs, and the picture takes shape.
More than just a formidable songwriter and vocalist, Couch is a personality. With his yearning vocals and cartoonish look, he embodies the part of a lovable, lovelorn anti-hero, wandering through his songs like a doomed detective in his own neo-noir film. The neo-noir metaphor runs deep – from the album title, to the album cover, to song titles like "Vertigo" and "Framed." Couch lists films like Body Heat and Body Double as some of his biggest influences.
Couch is a fixture in the New York scene, spotted regularly on the stages of haunts like Berlin and Our Wicked Lady, rarely without his signature black cap. Recent shows include gigs with The Fleshtones, Paul Collins Beat, Josie Cotton, The Plimsouls, and nearly all the city's notable new bands on the rise.
A true original, Jonny Couch wields passion, humor, and a deep understanding of rock n' roll, to irresistible ends. His recent single Found Out You're A Zombie was featured on Little Steven's Underground Garage "Fright Night" show (Sirius XM), on the last Friday of November 2022.