Couple’s Therapy | |
|---|---|
| Creators | Milkshake Moustache |
| Genre | Pop Rock |
| Year | 1981 |
| Tracks | 12 |
| Length | 49:01 |
Couple's Therapy
Background
Milkshake Moustache’s sixth album was written under the cloud of strained relations within the band. The happy couple of Debbie and Scott were no longer experiencing marital bliss while their relationship with Julie also was strained after an infamous interview with Graham Hush. The album’s theme centres around love, loss, and relationships. Their quick witty lyrics and rock styling were still present, although fans could sense the tension between the band member in the recordings. It added an extra grit to the songs which critics felt was missing in their more lovey dovey previous album, Pomp and Ceremony. The album performed well, but the issues behind the scenes meant the band would split up after it’s recording and release.
The album is bookended by the two songs I Love You and I Hate You. The two songs really summed up the feelings of the band at the time. The song that stood out to the listening public however was Stop It Now. As a both cathartic and creative exercise, Debbie and Scott were encouraged by Julie to harness their issues into great songwriting. They both wrote a list of things that the other one did that annoyed them. Lyrics included Debbie highlighting Scott’s obsession with police shows on tv, while Scott exposed Debbie’s irritating tapping habit. It was a glimpse behind the drama at the time, but airing dirty washing never sounded so good.
Album Art
In a reference to their previous album, Pomp and Ceremony, the cover of their break-up album also featured lace. The band felt it was a good visual symbol of marriage and relationships. While Debbie was picking out a wedding dress a few years before, she noted how a couple of bespoke dresses had custom lace work depicting different scenes of traditional love. She didn’t think much of it at the time, and chose a more vintage dress for her big day. When the band had decided on the lace for the album cover of their newest LP, Debbie asked her wedding dress supplier where the beautiful custom lace work was created. She was told that it was handmade in Honiton in Devon.
The management of Dekaf sent a delegation down to mid Devon to get the custom lacework they wanted. The custom design included the name of the album and the band, as well as an unhappy couple in the very middle. It took the lace-worker a week to weave and tie the lace into the shapes required for the cover. It was a beautiful piece of craft by a very skilled craftsman that gave the album it’s eye catching and intriguing look. The original doily can now be found framed in the offices of Dekaf headquarters.
Track Listing
I Love You – 4:24
Date Night at Tony’s – 5:09
What Happened To Us? – 4:31
Too Much – 4:10
The Midlands – 3:12
Worser – 5:13
Public House – 2:59
At The Moment – 3:23
Stuck – 4:12
Stop It Now – 2:35
Sadie – 3:12
I Hate You – 6:01