Couch
Photo Credit: Zoe Salvucci
Couch is simply up next: amazing vocals, diverse use of instruments and influences, and a near-perfect discography that simply refuses to disappoint. The 7-member band makes some of the catchiest music you'll ever hear, and each hook injects an upbeat vibe to even the worst of days. "I'm Leaving (The Na-Na Song)" was their debut Spotify single, releasing in 2019 and racking up over 200K streams. It was soon followed by a string of other hits including "Easy to Love," "Fall Into Place," and "Black Bear Lane,” each more revealing of how high the ceiling is for this young group of musicians. In 2021, they dropped the culmination of all their hard work thus far: COUCH, their first EP. Featuring some fan-favorites along with three all-new tracks, the project continues to receive love from a quickly-growing fanbase. Now, with 31K monthly listeners on Spotify alone and a loyal following from coast to coast, they're on their way to even more success. We recently spoke to the band about the COUCH EP, their favorite musical influences, and more!
Hey Couch! Thanks so much for speaking with us today. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did each of you get started making music?
Thanks for having us! We’re a seven-piece soul/pop band from Boston, but we’re scattered across the Northeast at various colleges. We always say that we aim to reshape familiar pop tropes in fresh ways.
Most of us got our start playing in elementary school music programs and studying privately later on. In high school, we played in bands, and we further developed our skills in musical theatre, acapella groups, and jazz programs.
And so when and how did Couch come together?
Zach (guitar), Will (bass), Jeff (trumpet), and Danny (keys) were in a band together in high school. Our current formation came together unofficially to complete an incomplete project (“(I’m Leavin’ (The Na-Na Song)”) from that previous band, but we quickly realized that we wanted to solidify and put out more music together.
More specifically, Zach and Danny became friends as Hebrew school music teachers in 2015. Jeff and Eric (sax) played together in high school jazz groups, as did Tema (vocals) and Danny; Tema and Zach met at a concert in 2018; Jared (drums) and Zach played in another band together in college.
Your music brings a fantastic big band quality to the industry. And you guys said it best – those are some powerhouse vocals. Was there a particular moment when you realized that your collective sound was something special?
When we created our single “Fall Into Place”, we settled into a new sonic identity – one that combines intricate vocal layering, live horns, and electronic elements. We felt like we were landing somewhere in between other groovy R&B bands and more production-oriented pop artists. We love many different genres, so finding our own fusion was very exciting.
Let’s talk about the EP. Seriously stellar stuff, congrats everyone! How long did the project take to complete and how are we feeling now that it’s finally out?
Zach and Tema began writing “Fall Into Place” in the Spring of 2019, but it wasn’t until August 2020 that we decided to release an EP. In that sense, the project took almost a year and a half; most of the work (three of the songs, mixing/mastering, etc.) happened in the past couple of months. Now that it’s out, we are psyched. After being a band for almost three years, it was such a joy to finally release a more expansive, cohesive body of work. We’re proud of each other, grateful for all the people who’ve stuck around from the beginning or just joined the family, and very excited for what’s next!
Was “Fall Into Place” the first song that you completed off the project? If not, why did you guys choose to release it first?
Yes! When we released “Fall Into Place”, we didn’t even know that it would be on the EP.
Photo Credit: Zoe Salvucci
Take us through the process of writing a typical Couch song.
In the past, Tema and Zach typically wrote Couch songs over FaceTime. In fact, “Easy to Love” and most of “Fall Into Place” were written and arranged virtually. These small, remote collaborations were a result of our being apart most of the year. More recently, however, the writing process has expanded to include more band members. Four of us wrote Black Bear Lane, for instance, when we had the opportunity to quarantine in Vermont for two weeks. It’s the first song that we’ve written entirely in person.
What are some of your favorite things to do when you guys aren’t making music?
We love getting burritos together at our favorite local burrito spot, Tango Mango! We also recently discovered that most of us share a love for pickup basketball! And we like to cook beef-centered dishes together, play MLB 2008 the Show, and go on runs. This list is mostly unappealing to Tema. The weird thing is that we haven’t yet played all together, let alone hung out altogether, so we’re looking forward to that when it’s safe.
Do you guys find working in a collaborative effort makes the creative process more enjoyable?
Absolutely. We generally have one or two people spearheading each song to keep things organized and cohesive, but our songwriting, arranging, and production processes have gotten more fun and more fruitful as we’ve grown to work more collaboratively.
You guys cite your influences, from Stevie Wonder to Jacob Collier. Could you talk a bit about specific things from some of your favorite artists that each of you metaphorically brings with you into the studio?
Stevie Wonder’s arrangements have groove built into them and feel so tasteful – we definitely try to learn from that. We’ve also been really inspired by Samm Henshaw and Charlie Puth’s production elements, as well as the uplifting, energetic soul of Lake Street Dive and Lawrence.
It’s one thing to be professional musicians. It’s another to be successful at it. Tell us about what it feels like to receive such positive feedback, as a band and as individuals.
Receiving positive feedback on our music is so gratifying. Perhaps the most amazing kind of feedback came in the form of the #bblchallenge, a challenge we created inviting fans and artists to write verses and take instrumental solos over the “Black Bear Lane” saxophone break. We received literally hundreds of submissions. Seeing so many people engage with our music in such creative, beautiful, and comedic ways was truly heartwarming.
Who is an artist or band making music right now that you guys would love to collaborate with?
Eric - Frank Ocean
Zach - Moonchild
Jared - Cory Wong
Will - Charlie Puth
Danny - Earth Wind and Fire
Jeff - Jacob Collier
Tema - Brasstracks
What has it been like making music during a pandemic?
Since we’re a “long-distance band” we’re accustomed to writing and recording remotely, so unlike many college bands, we were uniquely poised to continue producing music during the pandemic. We’ve relied heavily on FaceTime and Zoom for a long time. Some of us were fortunate enough to quarantine together as a result of the pandemic, however; that serendipitously resulted in the creation of “Black Bear Lane”, a song about escaping the mayhem and heading to Vermont. It probably wouldn’t exist if not for COVID.
What has been your favorite memory as a band so far?
Again, it’s weird because we’ve never hung out all together. But some highlights include our first gig at Barn Party (a small festival in New Hampshire), our trip to Vermont, our iPhone Cup Pong tournament with 60+ fans, and, of course, this EP release!
What can we expect from you guys in 2021?
More music and our first tour, as soon as it’s safe to perform!
When Couch makes it to LA, _____________.
We’re babysitting ASAP for our mixing engineer, Caleb Parker, and his adorable baby.