“When a band has this many members, we really want to focus on making music we all enjoy,” said Zach Blankstein. Zach is one of the seven members of Couch, a Boston-born band undefined by just one genre. Their sophomore EP, Sunshower, demonstrates this like no other, a mix of pop, soul, and R&B to create a vibe-y, fresh sound.

Formed in the beginning of the group’s college years, they’ve all been making music in some capacity for most of their lives. The band is comprised of Blankstein on guitar, bass, and vocals, Tema Siegel on lead vocals, Jared Gozinsky on percussion, Will Griffin on bass, Danny Silverston on keys, Jeffrey Pinkser-Smith on trumpet and Eric Tarlin on saxophone, vocals and synth.

“We’re seven people with strong, different opinions… our size is the best and worst part of Couch!” Blankstein jokes. While it can be hard to support seven members, marketing this unique structure is incredibly easy. Take the initial interest many would have of just what a seven-member pop-funk band sounds like, combine it with their full, vibrant sound and it's no surprise how popular Couch has become.

Their first EP was actually made as a long-distance-band. “We were sending all these files back and forth to make [COUCH],” Blankstein says. Members of the band were all in different places and still coming out of the pandemic’s constraints. Blankstein says this experience almost made Sunshower easier to put together and record. The EP ended up feeling much more immersive too, as it was directly connected to a new tour across the US and UK.

*Image courtesy of* *@brentgoldmanphoto* *on Instagram*

“We’ve been touring for two years now,” Blankstein says. “It feels like a vacation with friends. It's exhausting, but incredible.” After their COUCH tour, the Sunshower shows began immediately after. Couch loves having the opportunity to perform live, reimagining their songs without some of the privileges of recording tech. During shows, the band uses no live tracks. Considering the amount of layering in their recorded music, they have to break down each individual track to its essential parts for live shows.

Recording is a completely different ballgame. Blankstein explains, “In recording, we really get crazy.” Listening through this EP, that “crazy” is definitely apparent. Each song has so much depth, so many instruments and tracks laid one on top of the other. In this production, each musician bounces off each other and brings their unique talents into the final product.

The album, itself, predominantly focuses on what it means for Couch to be turning their passion for music into a career. The majority of the band doesn’t play music exclusively, typing away for remote jobs on the tour bus or other things of the like, but the band still takes up the majority of their time. There can be so much sun and positivity when a band can actually make money with their music, but the job has its fair share of rainstorms as well. Hence the title, Sunshower.

The EP opens with the dreamy, “I Wanted Summer With You.” With lyrics like “kissing down all your curves and marks,” the vocals paint a picture of the perfect summer spent with an old flame. The song is notably marked by a groovy bass line, as upbeat as this imagined summer. The next song, “LA” continues with this light sound, as sunny as its titular inspiration.

Blankstein shared the group’s inspiration for the track, saying, “‘LA’ is about seeking change, but being uncertain about what it will solve.” This song really gives Siegel’s strong belt a chance to shine.

The third track, “Let Me Hold You,” is the slowest of the bunch, a delicate ballad. One of the band’s favorite songs to perform, it carries reminiscent themes through the EP. “Let Me Hold You (Reprise)” manages to take this reflection and completely transform it. While the song begins with Siegel’s vocals, they quickly become distorted and overtaken by melancholy synth.

“Jessie” is another standout for Siegel, showing off her voice control. She hits high notes and riffs at the end of practically every verse, the manifestation of her frustration with the song’s subject.

The EP ends with “Alright,” masterfully crafted to be the perfect closer. It feels very authentically soulful, complete with a massive chorus of voices thanks to track layering. “We really get to jam out on this one when we play it live,” said Blankstein. “When we tour, we enjoy anything new and love to see the difference live!”

The band continues their tour through January 27, 2024, in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Austin, Dallas, Detroit, Chicago and Indianapolis. If you want to keep up with Couch, follow them on Instagram or Spotify.

Rainstorms or Sunshowers with Couch the Band