SECRET MACHINES – “I THINK IT’S LIGHT OUTSIDE”
A SPILL EXCLUSIVE MUSIC PREMIERE
Secret Machines share their long-awaited brand new LP, The Moth, The Lizard, and the Secret Machines, a somewhat “lost” record and their first new release since 2020’s Awake in the Brain Chamber.
Rather than write and painstakingly rehearse its widescreen material, Secret Machines workshopped their newest record in real time the way a manic novel might be written. It started as a simple experiment; having recently hit a rough patch due to the loss of their label and other maddening business matters, the bi-coastal band’s core duo (Brandon Curtis and cleanup hitter Josh Garza) were eager to regroup in the secluded home studio of guitarist Phil Karnats, who originally accompanied the duo during their self-titled sessions years ago.
One key reference point of the Moth sessions was something Garza and Curtis bonded over back in their early days: the Buddhist philosophy of “first thought, best thought.” A guiding principle of everyone from Beat poet Allen Ginsberg to downtown icon Arthur Russell, it’s the idea that you’re better off cutting riffs, beats and chords straight to tape than arranging or composing anything concrete beforehand. In other words, it’s music made of fleeting moments and memories rather than rearranged verses and melodies — about as pure as a creative endeavor can be.
Secret Machines’ fourth LP is full of winding ear worms and hummable hooks, from its fearless, thunderstruck opener (“There’s No Starting Over”) and the Fripp & Eno-esque outro of “Crucifixion Time” to the broken-hearted balladry of “Run Out the Silver Light” and the somber instrumental sequence that is “Last One Out.”
Said Brandon Curtis of their newest record:
“Finally getting to share these songs after so many incarnations, after all this time, after so much has happened, has been a wonderful experience. Listening through has been like connecting to a memory that had begun to recede. I think the improvisational nature of the process and the rawness of the performances allow all this feeling and emotion to bubble up through the wash of sounds and pulses. We are extremely proud of the work that went into making this album and are excited to present this track as another preview of the album.”
Alongside the LP release this week, the band places specific emphasis on the record’s focus track, “I Think It’s Light Outside.”
On the track, Josh Garza wrote: “At times it feels like it’s two or three different ideas playing at the same time to form one song. The concept of improvisation, experimentation and song being fused together with Brandon’s lyrics and vocals keeping the song from flying off the edge.”
The Moth, The Lizard, and the Secret Machines is out today via all DSPs. The record is also being pressed on vinyl, which is available for pre-order HERE.
Secret Machines
[Single]
(TSM Recordings)
Release Date: March 24, 2023
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