Couldn’t Be Happiers’ “Couple(t)s” wears its heart and heritage on its sleeve. Released on June 13, 2025, this sophomore record from the North Carolina-based married duo—Jodi Hildebran Lee and Jordan Crosby Lee—brings together folk, rock, protest, and poetry in a concept in a diaristic and cultural chronicle. True to its name, Couple(t)s explores romantic, lyrical, thematic, and musical pairing. Jodi and Jordan’s real-life relationship fuels the emotional backbone of the record, but it’s their artistic bond and poetic ambition that elevate it into something more than just a love letter.
Split into two sides, each containing six tracks arranged in thematic pairs—love songs, protest anthems, and folk tales—Couple(t)s is a concept album that never lets the concept overshadow the music. There’s cohesion without confinement. Take the opener “Come Back Tomorrow,” a jazzy, second-line celebration full of rumbling percussion, soul-infused vocals, and a breezy, sensual vibe. The layered vocals, his hushed in the background, hers bold and rich in the foreground, sing over shaking percussion, soothing reed instrumentals, and relaxed horn lines. It’s an invitation into the album’s lush, lived-in world.
Further along the record, “King of Austin” trades brass for bluegrass. It’s a lighter, acoustic-driven tune with a charming storytelling tone. Jordan’s voice leads with easy charisma, while Jodi’s harmonies add emotional depth and warmth, softly coloring the track with that familiar “feminine touch.” It’s folk as it should be—rich with character and comfortably unpretentious.
The final track, “Lydia’s Bridge,” is a spine-tingling closer. Based on a North Carolina ghost story, the song hums with eerie ambiance where industrial textures meet glistening acoustics, and Jordan’s slow, steady delivery lures you in like a candle-lit séance. The lyrics creep under your skin, lingering long after the last note fades.
Every track on Couple(t)s is anchored by the duo’s refusal to compromise authenticity, even as they stretch their sound across genres and emotions. With poetic intent, musical range, and emotional depth, this album is a partnership on full display, rhyming all the way to the heart.
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Review by: Naomi Joan