Couch Session: Acrylics [Big Ugly Premiere]

Couch Session #12 — Acrylics

Exclusive First Listen of "It's Cool Here" and "Counting Sheep"

Straight from a swanky Easter party they attended all day,
Acrylics came over to our place to play.
For them it was a celebration, but ol' lousy Passover for this one,
As I was full of matzo and other snacks not as fun.
Jason enlightened us with a short list of jokes,
about hassids and hipsters and all kinds of folks.
And with toy bunnies jumping around on the floor,
and voices worn from a long shoot the day before,
we recorded until we had what we needed,
then to a plate of ultra-rich brownies they proceeded.
While over, the duo shared two new songs with us,
stunning and perfectly lacking of fuss.
"Counting Sheep" is raw while also romantic,
dream-like, calm, and nowhere near frantic.
And "It's Cool Here" — which is fitting, you know,
since they're hanging out in our home, performing for our little show.
It is pretty neat, to have a band that you love
help celebrate a new holiday you know nothing of.
'Cuz if holidays are for family and things you hold near,
And are all about fun and full of good cheer,
Then my first Easter memories will be of this impression,
my home movies interpreted through this couch session.
So enjoy this new song and my newfound tradition,
as we present Acrylics, for your submission:

Big Ugly Yellow Couch Premiere:

MP3s:

Acrylics —"All Of The Fire (Big Ugly Yellow Couch Session)"

Acrylics —"It's Cool Here (Big Ugly Yellow Couch Session)"

Acrylics —"Counting Sheep (Big Ugly Yellow Couch Session)"

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Couch Session: The Fieros

Couch Session #11 — The Fieros

The boys had a long night, followed by a bright early morning,
having to face our camera without too much warning.
But they picked up their instruments, sat down and recorded,
something not even a crazy evening could have thwarted.
If it was my birthday the night before, I would have refused to play,
Citing exhaustion or stomach flu or something just as cliche.
But for these guys, it was just another night playing songs,
besides a hangover, maybe hunger, nothing was wrong.
They maintain their raspy-voiced rock even while wholly stripped down,
when there's not an electric guitar or drum kit to be found.
Impressive, especially since it's pastel furniture upon which they've sat,
and they played a maraca muffled by a ladies' hat.
There's something special about them that doesn't necessitate much,
just the music, nothing fancy, no need for a crutch.
Forget a stage, huge speakers or spotlights aglow —
just guitars and a shaker is where they put on the real show.
Nonchalant in their demeanor, but inherently great,
here's a look at The Fieros, a band we're sure you won't hate.

MP3s

The Fieros — "Get Back (Big Ugly Yellow Couch Session)"

The Fieros — "Take Me Now (Big Ugly Yellow Couch Session)"

The Fieros — "Songbird (Big Ugly Yellow Couch Session)"

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Couch Session: One For The Team

Couch Session #10 — One For The Team

One For The Team, two for the show,
A quick pit-stop before they had to go.
Squeezed between sound check and a gig later that night,
everything was flawless, despite timing so tight.
With the Minneapolis clan, our Midwestern-bred kin,
we bonded over where we've lived, where we've been.
A tight-knit group, but with half keeping quiet outside,
the recordings took a different turn with the group's temporary divide.
With Donald's acoustic guitar, two mouths, nothing more,
the lyrics shine through, truly stripped to their core.
But off the stage, on a couch, with less noise to surround,
it's front and center, and the words turn profound.
Put back the drums, the bass and the keys,
And those same harmonies are there, tucked right in between.
Their recordings are a joy — we loved Ghosts from the start,
but in their body of work, these vocals are truly its heart.
So delve into both versions, to see just what we mean,
and fill the rest of your day with One For The Team:

MP3s:

One For The Team - "Hard For You (Big Ugly Yellow Couch Session)"

One For The Team - "Sorted Out (Big Ugly Yellow Couch Session)"

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Couch Session: North Highlands.

Couch Session #9 — North Highlands

Gorgeous songs, welcomed guests and snickerdoodles for five —
There's few simpler ways to feel so completely revived.
Maybe it's the sugar, or maybe it’s just the songs,
Which, understandably, I've been humming along to all week long.
You remind me of a train ride, chugging slowly back home,
To a town that's familiar, a place already known.
You remind me of the morning, waking up who knows when,
Getting ready to start the same sort of day all over again.
But when morning's a blessing, and night is a curse,
And time is just a road you aim to traverse,
Who you spend it with matters, the company you're among —
The same thought behind these gentle words that they've sung.
Whether you're in the actual North Highlands, nestled on the Left Coast,
Or so far from a loved one they feel like a ghost,
This quintet should do the musical trick,
So long as you can decide which of their recordings to pick:

MP3s:

North Highlands - "Sugar Lips (Big Ugly Yellow Couch Session)"

North Highlands - "Collar Bones (Big Ugly Yellow Couch Session)"

North Highlands - "Fresca (Big Ugly Yellow Couch Session)"

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Couch Session: Brahms

Couch Session #8 — BRAHMS

It's a pretty simple setup: a couch in a room,
a video online, a couple songs to consume.
Not when BRAHMS is around, though, as they took a clean slate,
Lit it up and fixed it into something beyond good or great.
They threw the couch open, hung lights red and blue,
spread out all their equipment, tried something so new.
And while the unexpected can be jarring, with its outcome unknown,
Brahms' ease saved us from being totally thrown.
It's the same on both ends, with the band fresh on the scene,
no description goes without that Hawaiian greeting nudged in between.
Though he's a man Renaissanced by former bands, songs and shows,
Cale Parks now stands tall with this trio, clad in all-black clothes.
It's clear that it's not just a project, not just some songs,
like their namesake composer, we hope they're around for quite long.
With a perfect mix of electro-pop beats and melodies unexpected,
it's impossible to hear them perform and remain unaffected.
Hell, we've been singing along before we even knew all the words,
beeping and booping and humming along like we're birds.
We just can't get these songs out of our head,
but hey, maybe it's because we got them into our pull-out sofa bed.
In a veritable sea of new music being thrown from all ends,
full of singers and musicians people haphazardly recommend,
Brahms floats above, trust this to be true —
all it takes is a quick listen to Cale, Eric and Drew:

MP3s:

BRAHMS - "Subtext Is Deadly (Big Ugly Yellow Couch Session)"

BRAHMS - "Brought It Out (Big Ugly Yellow Couch Session)"

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