The Rhyme Suite

A review of Yellow Couch Music’s debut album.

It’s one thing to hear a record and have a desire to hear it live, but having an insatiable need to hear it live is entirely different. That’s an itch that Tidings In The Rough seems to scratch perfectly.

The 10-track amalgamation of Neo-Soul, Jazz, Rock, and Hip-Hop provides a listening experience akin to the ease of a Sunday stroll in the park – contentment with a hint of sonder.

It’s quite the solid debut from Yellow Couch Music, a collective led by New York-based drummer and producer Layton Weedeman. 

The roster of instrumentalists and vocalists whose efforts helped make this album are reflected greatly in the variance of each track.

Where opening track “Am I More Than Enough” has a grungy yet jazzy feel with a bassline to die for, “Fool Stop” evokes more jazz-hop. With the latter, I found myself imagining how good a Common verse would sound over the head-bopping production. Yet, the efforts of Estephanie, JSWISS, and John Robinson are more than adequate. 

Even with the second half of the project, which largely features spoken word-tracks, there is much diversity. “Locust Walk,” featuring H. Alonzo Jennings, feels almost like a sermon with a rock-inspired sound, while “Orbit,” featuring Estephanie and Lars Haake is lined with a simple piano riff, ambient sound, and an infectious drumbeat.

Diversity itself is sort of the crux of this project, an important distinction during a time at which corporate entities and political figures are forcing diversity to take a backseat.

This is a strength, but this could be seen as the album’s weakness as well. At times, tracks transition into the next like a compilation piece or playlist would rather than a full length album. Yet this only adds to the lure of this album being heard on a live stage, and the tracks themselves are still cohesive as individual bodies of work.

These songs are meant to be experienced in community with occasional commentary, monologues, tears and laughs — listening via streaming services simply doesn’t do it justice. But it’s still satisfying.

Tidings In The Rough tackles heartbreak, self-doubt, and introspection while still being easy on the ears. It’s not overly engineered, allowing one to truly focus on how great the instruments sound. And most of all, you can feel how much love went into it.

Ironically enough, it’s extremely palpable as an end-of-summer anthem despite being released in late June.

But it’s definitely worth the listen. And if you walk away wanting to hear them live in the same way I did, you can attend their Return to Nublu on December 8.

Stream here.