Michael Newsted
Share new single/video, ‘Step Out’
Debut album, No.1 due 30th March on Winspear
Easy, gorgeous harmonies, shimmering production,
and timeless subject matter” – Gorilla vs. Bear
“Dreampop inspired by the lighter side of the ’70s–more Laurel Canyon
than yacht rock–with a lovely magic hour vibe to what they do” – Brooklyn Vegan
“it’s the kind of lush sound that will having you pining for Spring, wishing you were holding hands with your number one crush as your prance through golden meadows.” – BEAT
“Sun-dappled, orange Starbust-sweet” – Tiny Mix Tapes
Grand Rapids trio Major Murphy release their new video for single “Step Out” in advance of their upcoming debut album No. 1 out March 30 on Bloomington, IN based label Winspear.
Directed and shot by the band’s own Jacob Bullard – the “Step Out” video focuses on Kevin Rudzinski, who Jacob met while visiting bassist Jacki Warren’s family in the Chicago area. Kevin is a family friend of the Warren’s, as well as a prolific bowler and general nice guy who seemed like a perfect fit for the video.
Jacob explains, “The song itself speaks to wanting to “step out,” which could obviously read as a plea for a glitzy nightlife, but dig deeper and that sentiment could also be as simple as choosing to get out of bed in the morning — something undoubtedly more significant, but admittedly not as sexy. Both unassuming but also confident, Kevin seemed to embody this duality, the continuum between mundane and exceptional, naturally. His candid performance is accentuated by abstract footage and editing techniques, stitched together by Bullard and longtime friend and editor, Matthew Bouwense.”
Brimming with jangly guitar, shimmering riffs, synth-sheened grooves, and commanding backing vocals, No. 1 reimagines 1970s radio rock with bristling sensitivity for our present era. Not quite pastiche, the lyrics of songwriter Jacob Bullard come from millennials’ unique cache of societal anxiety and ego-crises.
On one hand, the technicolor and mechanized world of No. 1 is unmistakably ours: we are over-stimulated and pressured, confused and frustrated. On the other, Bullard heaves up worries seeded in adult selfhood and relationships, working for answers beyond life’s many brief and manic vanities.
The album’s musical sensibilities catch all this with A-side’s sudden velocity and mechanical repetitions, and B side’s encouraging grooves and contemplative soft-rock. The sound is rich and evocative, owing in large measure to bassist Jacki Warren’s faculty for harmonic structure. Drummer Brian Voortman’s keen responsiveness to melodic progressions and emotional shifts make for concert-like, energetic recordings–in fact, most of No. 1 was recorded live, capturing how naturally Major Murphy makes music together.
Tracklisting:
1. No.1
2. Who Will I Be
3. Mary
4. Radi-Yum
5. My C.C. Blues
6. Step Out
7. One Day
8. Jesus
9. When I Go Out
10. Lisa, Robbi, And Me
Artwork:
No Comments