Love Can't Save This Love

To chart the places Spouse calls home, you need a map of the entire U.S. and a handful of pushpins. Fans in Northampton, MA and Portland, ME lay claim to the band as their hometown darlings, but you can also find members in New York and San Francisco. Once again they have bridged the miles to craft a new secret handshake of atmospheric and intricate pop in the form of "Love Can't Save This Love," their second full-length CD (Pigeon Records). The multilayered sound of this record is anchored by front man José Ayerve's vocals, which soar up above, or crumble and hide in the corners of each shift in the mixture of guitars, synths, and drums. The record's family-size cast of contributors never dilutes the smartness and urgency of each song. Graceful arrangements move instruments in and out of the foreground, and create excellent tension in the spaces between. The danceable drums and hook-heavy keyboard lines may tempt us to think back to days of taller hair and skinnier ties, but not to worry, Spouse needs no retro sounds or haircuts to get our attention. These songs are for right now and for all of us, and if you play the disc a few times, you'll discover parts that you'll swear are there just for you.