A couch isn't just a living room staple. Say hello to Couch the Band.
Pleaser Magazine sat down with six of the seven band members of Couch the Band in their (and my) hometown of Boston, Massachusetts to chat about their recently released debut record Big Talk, an upcoming tour and what being from Boston means to them.
PHOTOS BY ALEIAGH HYNDS
If you’ve been following my Pleaser pieces, you may have recognized my affinity for bands born out of my hometown. I love building up musicians I tangentially know, and whether they think it creepy or not, I follow these groups religiously. I’ve done it again with Couch the Band, a Boston based group boasting seven members: Tema Siegel (lead vocals), Zach Blankstein (guitar, bass, vocals), Jared Gozinsky (drums), Will Griffin (bass), Danny Silverston (keys), Jeffrey Pinsker-Smith (trumpet), and Eric Tarlin (saxophone). Couch can simply be described as a soul/funk-pop band blending jazz and R&B elements together to produce a totally unique sound (Yes, that was the simple version). With the release of their inaugural record Big Talk, Pleaser spoke with six band members (we missed you, Danny) about creating the album, the ideas that percolate throughout and what’s on the horizon.
Along with the October 24 record, Couch has a wide discography spanning six years with multiple singles and EPs. To help new fans find a good starting point, I asked which song the band thinks represents their work best. Tarlin said his pick is track 10 off of Big Talk, “Static and Noise,” pointing to its utilization of the band's full instrumental potential.
“The horns are going crazy, the rhythm section is going crazy, Tema is going crazy. There’s a lot of background vocal layering that really adds to it. It’s a celebration of what we’re able to do,” Tarlin explained.
Sonically, he said “Static and Noise” feels exciting and engaging, a quality representation of the band's strengths. Highlighting the project generally, Tarlin said there’s a lot of variety. Every song demonstrates a different skill the group has worked to develop. Blankstein agreed with Tarlin, nodding to the entirety of Big Talk as his favorite for similar reasons. He noted his appreciation for the range in styles and tastes, representative of the individual influences of each band member. Pinsker-Smith added that friends of his also commented on the variety of the record in comparison to previous Couch collections, but ultimately selected track four, “What Were You Thinking,” commenting on its ability to bridge previous releases and present interests together. “It’s very digestible for all audiences and has a funky groove with syncopated rhythms, but it still feels like a pop song at heart.”
“What Were You Thinking” also features an orchestrated horn solo and other specialties that remind listeners that Couch is more than just a traditional pop band, they’re instrumentalists.
In aggregate, Big Talk dives deeper into what drives the band as individuals and highlights commonalities we all face as we grow through our 20s. Seigel spoke on the themes of personal growth and confidence, stating that developing an assertiveness in who you are and what you have to say is a large component of this record.
“Historically, and I don't look back on our old music and think it sounds unconfident per say, but I do think that we used to have a slightly more youthful and whimsical, wide eyed sound,” she explained.
The whimsy of previous records has not dissolved, but Siegel said it has grown into something more mature, more relatable to an audience that’s growing up with the band. Another common theme from Big Talk, Siegel added, is where you choose to spend your time. As adults with a continually growing list of things to do, she said that being intentional about taking a step back and appreciating the little things is ever-important. Trying to avoid the constant pull of careers or other stressors and finding moments to dedicate to those who love us is a decision made every day, and Couch explores those feelings with this record. Siegel also shared that she personally incorporated the idea of decentering romantic love onto Big Talk. She highlighted the importance of giving as much value and commitment to the platonic, personal and familial relationships in her life.
Blankstein said the album “is our reflection on multidimensional love–romantic, platonic, self-love—and the kind of bold, honest connection that comes from shedding small talk and saying what you really mean. It’s moody and nostalgic, but also warm and bright—a soundtrack for that phase in life when things start to click, even if everything’s still a little messy."
The band’s base in Boston, Massachusetts was selected in part because of their commitment to maintaining that connection with family and friends. For six of the seven members of Couch, Gozinsky being the exception, the metro-Boston area is home. If any of you read my Juniper the Band article last winter, you may remember I too am from the Boston suburbs, Wellesley to be exact. Just like Scott Johnson, Pinsker-Smith and Griffin went to Wellesley High School with me. I love a close connection!
Pinsker-Smith mentioned he adores being from Boston and doesn’t plan on leaving any time soon. The city continues to be a huge part of their identity, with references to their favorite places scattered throughout Big Talk. Siegel said the beautiful thing about Boston is the closeness to the spaces they grew up in. That proximity allows the group to tap into the nostalgia, the memories, and the emotion necessary to create their soulful sound. Blankstein continued,
“It's cool too for a lot of us to be building a career where we’re from. For the most part, we all know each other because we grew up here. Couch doesn't exist without Boston,” he concluded, laughing, “and Boston doesn’t exist without Couch.”
Collaboration and connection to other music industry professionals tends to be less common as not many are based in the Boston area. Tarlin explained that Couch’s writing and production process is completely internal. “We’re a big group and generally all seven of our fingerprints are all over every song we put out, without working with outside producers leading us through.” Their limited ability to outsource has encouraged their creativity, pushing them to work with each other and their own interests to make each project.
Speaking more about the band’s album creation process, Tarlin said a new part of their work is conceptualizing components of each song that would be well reflected in a live setting. Gozinsky explained that during the earlier years of Couch, the distance of college locations and eventually COVID inhibited the band's ability to practice in-person. This meant that many of Couch’s early singles and EPs were written, recorded and released before the band had a chance to play them together or on-stage. Using the band’s November 2023 EP Sunshower as an example, Pinsker-Smith said they had to learn how to perform many of the songs live post-release. “A lot of the songs, especially the heavily produced / electronic songs, we struggled and still struggle with making them feel as good live as they do on the record,” he said. With Big Talk though, Pinsker-Smith highlighted that Couch wrote the first half of the record with plenty of time to spare, so they were able to perform them during the spring and summer before the final demo was due. The second half was written in a similar way to their previous albums, but with more advanced arranging and recording techniques than they’ve used before.
Gozinsky said the opportunity to workshop songs live allowed them to share in the process with those who care about their music most, the fans. Tarlin emphasized that the band enjoys bringing “rogue” ideas to the live shows to test how the audience reacts. Similarly, Siegel said that Couch has evolved past their previous fears of staying completely true to the original record on stage. “I think we’re pretty comfortable now with the idea that something that works really well on the record might not be as cool live and vice versa,” she said. Taking a record that fans have become familiar with and adding new flares is the joy of seeing live music, and Couch can’t wait to take that idea on the road with them.
To accompany the October record, Couch is embarking on the “Big Talk Tour” across North America, Europe and the UK this fall and winter. The tour stretches from November to March, hitting cities from Atlanta, Georgia to Los Angeles, California and everywhere in between. Gozinsky said after hundreds of nights on the road and years of being the same seven through it all, he couldn’t imagine touring with anyone else. He explained that the group has learned over time how they best operate together, coming to understand each other's nuances and needs better than your average friend group. “It’s more familial than anything,” he said. Siegel agreed, adding that her relationship with the guys is best described as sibling-like, more than just friends or colleagues. Their bond was created by working together throughout all the extremes: exhaustion, stress and euphoria.
“It doesn't mean it's [touring] without periods of frustration or tension but I think the fact that we can still love each other's company and each other so much, that's why it feels like a sibling relationship to me,” Siegel said.
Pinsker-Smith explained that for him, touring has been a journey of self discovery and creating boundaries. In the early days of traveling, he felt pressured to agree with all decisions the band made and move together. Even something as small as where to go for dinner turned into an inner struggle between the group and his own desires. Now, he feels more confident to “dial in and just figure out what I want, and that’s served me in real life too. I'm doing what I'm doing.” Blankstein agreed, stating that he has fielded many phone calls discussing the logistics of touring, including how dinner is ordered. “Those little things do add up, while on tour the less people have to think and the more we have everything laid out to resist questions being asked is key. That makes life way easier.”
Siegel said the “Big Talk Tour” marks the first time they’ve traveled in a group larger than the seven band members, a merch person and their touring sound engineer Chris DiCorpo. Three additional people have been added to the touring party, and Siegel said she has mixed emotions. There’s excitement, adding new people “makes it the most legitimate, a level up.” At the same time, there’s a twinge of sadness that the seven will probably not return to touring solo (plus DiCorpo) again. “I am so thrilled to have new team members and women with us in a larger capacity, but to me that's really telling that there's a sadness of not having the same initial intimate group,” she said.
To promote the tour, the band used their Instagram page to distribute a sign up link to presale tickets. Griffin said that social media has been an asset in expanding Couch’s audience, as posting videos from their shows naturally attracted new fans. “Being able to show that many people lots of different things is a cool way to not only expand but to get feedback we might not have heard elsewhere.”
After my interview with the band, we went back into their cozy garage studio so our wonderful photographer Aleiagh could capture their rehearsal. They were gearing up to perform their first national television performance on CBS Saturday Morning's Saturday Sessions. We watched them practice “On The Wire,” the first single release for the album, which dropped September 28. Lyrically, “On The Wire” shares Siegel's frustrations during moments of impatience.
"I reflect on how unfair I can be toward the people I love when they do something I dislike—like when my mom offers unsolicited advice or when my bandmates and I clash on creative decisions. Instead of exploding, I tend to grow impatient, take things personally, and prickle—leaving those closest to me feeling like they’re on thin ice."
Siegel continued, "Only afterward do I realize how unfair I’ve been, and I regret hurting the people who care for me most. Though the lyrics describe being upset with others, the real frustration is with myself. The chorus is me calling myself out for being dramatic and intense."
While I was listening to her sing, I was taken aback at how relatable I found this sentiment to be. I struggle with anxiety, so when I feel panicked or upset that’s all I can see. It almost feels like being drunk, a different version of myself emerges that’s completely consumed by my troubles. If I do find an answer, my stupor is lifted and I’m left with a hangover littered in poor choices caused by someone who doesn’t feel like me.
You’re on the wire
The way I stare you down, I don’t like it either
Maybe I should be a little kinder
I’m icing out the ones that I admire
Tried your best, still I’m upset, and you’re on the wire
Hearing a song articulate my feelings so well created an instant connection between myself and the band. I think fans will recognize that relatability throughout Big Talk, as Couch continues to weave thoughtful messages and bright melodies together. If you have the chance to catch Couch on tour this winter and spring, don’t miss the opportunity to see Big Talk live and dance your anxieties away. I know I will be!
