The Portland band, World’s Finest, is on fire. Their upbeat unique sound is not to be missed. Chris Couch guitarist and lead vocalist for the band is also the songwriter.
J Van Buhler
Before World’s Finest, Couch played in another band, but his songs weren’t getting any playtime. At a house party, Couch was jamming with bassist Evan Malfer and the two hit it off. They began a side project with Couch’s songs. Their goal was to have as much fun as possible as a side band and they began playing with random musicians around the Portland area.
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“We jump from one style to another and still maintain a coherent vibe.” -Chris Couch
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Couch was at a festival when he met Dan Hurley. “Dan was playing his banjo at the camp next to us. We realized we sang well together,” says Couch. Hurley, Malfer and Couch began playing together on a regular basis.
“Each of the other bands we had been playing with dried up, and we got more serious. We produced a nine-song album which was easy, mellow, reggae-ish songs,” explains Couch. At the CD release party, they met saxophone player Sean McLean and jammed with him. “We knew he was the guy. He was the missing piece. He’s a shredding sax player and a shredding guitar player,” Couch says. Drummer Mike Apodaca, a former member of Couch’s previous band, rounds out the quintet.
“We jump from one style to another and still maintain a coherent vibe,” Couch explains. World’s Finest released their first CD less than a year after they formed. They played side-stage acts, local festivals, Earth Day events and any event they could. “A kind of a snowball effect occurred from our efforts,” says Couch.
The band hosted a small festival and 300 people attended. “The progression of meeting people that attended — the bands, vendors and all the contacts — created networking opportunities. We were invited to String Summit and Hangtown Festival,” says Couch. The band has played more than 300 shows in the past three years and 120 in the last year alone. They will be performing at High Sierra Festival in July.
World’s Finest is continually evolving. They started with a laid-back reggae, acoustic vibe. When they added the horn, their sound got a lot funkier. The banjo added a bluegrass sound. They offer a ska element, and with Couch’s singer-songwriter component, an Americana, jam-band quality emerged.
When describing their sound Couch says, “We’re an eclectic, ska-grass jam band.” Couch draws inspiration for his songwriting from the struggles and victories of daily life. “During our last album ‘Headwater,’ I was going through a difficult time in a relationship, which ended while I was writing. Trying to keep your life together while trying to keep the musician thing together is a struggle,” he says. “Being out on the road for a long time, you learn how to put yourself second to the needs of others. I’ve also learned I’ll probably always play music and write songs. I love being part of the songwriting tribe.”
Couch recognizes that it’s going to be a long process and that he’ll keep working at his craft and getting better. “You can always learn something from any musician or performance,” he says.
Couch’s authenticity emerges during the conversation. Humble, kind and intelligent, Couch is someone you want to know better after speaking with him.
“We’re a versatile band. We are super different and going to just be us. We keep our own vibe and hopefully, people will be down with it,” Couch says.
With a new release on the horizon this summer, things are going well for World’s Finest. Check out their upcoming show on June 3 at the Sierra Valley Lodge in Calpine.
June 3 | 8 p.m.
$7 advance | $10 at the door
Sierra Valley Lodge | Calpine
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit sierravalleylodge.net.
