Couch “Big Talk” Levels Up: Lush Horns, Live Swing, and a Queer-Forward Centerpiece in “Middle Man”
Boston’s seven-piece levels up with lush horns, mostly live instrumentation, and a candid, queer-affirming centerpiece in “Middle Man.” Plus: how they road-tested arrangements and rebuilt their show for bigger stages.
Out Now: “Big Talk”
Big Talk — mastered by Colin Leonard — arrives as Couch’s most complete statement to date: a vibrant blend of brass-forward grooves, warm keys, and vocals that prize intimacy over spectacle.
The band’s touring calendar stretches across North America and Europe, with marquee stops at Roadrunner (Boston), 9:30 Club (DC), The Fonda (LA), and Brooklyn Steel (NYC).
The Music Coast Angle
Couch have always written like a band in conversation—with each other and with the crowd. On Big Talk, that conversation sharpens. Themes of multidimensional love (romantic, platonic, self-love) meet arrangements that move like dialogue: horn figures echoing vocal turns, rhythm section choices that prioritize feel over flash.
“From the beginning, every song touched on some ‘big’ subject in nuanced and personal ways. Some tracks started from Tema’s lyric or melody—like ‘Last Night,’ where the rhythm and horn parts are tender and ethereal—and others began with a groove we built together. ‘Static and Noise’ was born that way, with an angry/funky pocket, and we used the horns to emphasize key moments without stepping on the melody.”
“Middle Man”: A Queer, Tender, Dance-Floor Confession
“Middle Man” is the record’s emotional hinge: a story about the fluid space between friendship and desire—told with candor and lift.
“I’d had this concept in mind for a while and was excited to turn it into a bisexual dance anthem. It explores the complexity of friendships between queer women—that feeling many of us know, that relationships could be more nourishing if they were with each other, not heterosexual men. The yearning had to be the point; the intimacy was baked in.”
Road-Testing the Arrangements (and Why It Matters on Record)
Couch didn’t just rehearse—they iterated on stage.
“‘Static and Noise’ really benefitted from road testing. It started as a rehearsal jam. We played it, listened for what landed, then workshopped it at every soundcheck—dialing the Michael McDonald–style piano groove, rhythm guitar shapes, and bass-line variations. What you hear on the album came straight from those live reps.”
Feel vs. Fidelity: Keeping the Human Swing
The record is mostly live instrumentation, then sweetened with layers that suit each song’s “world.”
“We had a general sonic idea going in, which gave us room to experiment with guitar/keys layers, BGVs, and horns. At the end of the day, it’s about the seven performances and the arrangements. Effects and textures serve that—not the other way around.”
The Show Just Got Bigger
The venues are larger—and the vision followed.
“These stages give us room to bring a full lighting package for the first time. We’ve always pushed the musical impact; now we can match it visually.”
