The past year has been a time of growth for Strange Machines, the Massachusetts-based quartet that prides itself on being a melting pot of musical fusion. Since 2019, the band has solidified its lineup and signed with Jamflow Management and Madison House, opening the door to an endless stream of new possibilities.
Just last month, Strange Machines debuted an in-studio music video for “Birdseye”, highlighting the band’s rock, funk, reggae, and livetronica influences. Today, Live For Live Music is excited to premiere the music video for “Step Outside”, which shows the “spacey” side of Strange Machines and acts as the perfect song to help you through the quarantine blues.
Filmed during the same session as “Birdseye” at Revelry Studios in Manchester, NH on December 29th, 2019, “Step Outside” serves as a measuring stick for the band’s progress since locking-in the current lineup. Members Mike MacDonald (guitar/vocals), Craig Holland (bass), Josh Dobbs (keys), and Ryan “Claw” Clausen (drums) start the song with a building progression that drops into a verse groove driven by drums and bass. Dobbs’ keyboard accents cut through the mix and prop up MacDonald’s resonant vocals. Throughout the verse, MacDonald also adds some delay-laden licks on his six-string before jumping into an upbeat chorus highlighted by a big-room synthesizer. A bridge section sees more a more tranquil rhythm section where Dobbs’ piano prowess and the vocal refrain “Bleed it out, find a way” are on full display.
In a joint statement, the band said of the song,
We are really excited to release this song; it came together very organically over the course of a few hours at a tour rehearsal one night. It really encapsulates a lot of the aspects of our eclectic sound while showing the band’s growth and new direction with our songwriting. Fitting as the song subject is all about shedding your old skin and moving onto a new chapter. Given the scary and uncertain state of the world right now, I think we’re all looking forward to the next chapter when we can ‘step outside’ again.
“Step Outside” and feel the sunshine with Strange Machines’ new video below.
Strange Machines – “Step Outside” (Official Music Video)
[Video: Strange Machines]
While Strange Machines had an extensive spring tour planned for 2020, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has caused the mass postponement of all live events across the country. Head to the band’s website for the latest tour information.