Cleveland indie alt-rock duo MESSMAKER has just released their latest single, “We Are The Architects“. The track marks their first release since their debut album, 2020’s Through The Fire. Musically, the track sees the band take a slightly more mature turn in production while continuing to perfect the sound they started on the first album.
Lyrically “We Are The Architects” is the band’s rejection of the acquiescence to the mundane. “Everyone is born with an innate creativity; we see the world as full of possibilities and are not bound by the limitations of what others believe is possible,” explains the band. “As we grow up and grapple with the pressures of adulthood, it’s far too easy to lose connection with that vision and belief that we can make the world a place we want to live. We get to choose what the future will be, for our generation and those that come after.”
This song was originally released as a stripped-down acoustic song for lead singer Michael McFarland’s solo project, but has become such a beloved anthem that MESSMAKER decided to release it as a full band track. “We decided to give it the full MESSMAKER treatment, and suddenly it felt like it had become the song it was always supposed to be,” says the band. “This is also the first MESSMAKER release for which Freja played drums, and when we got in the studio she nailed it on the first take!”
MESSMAKER has also released a new video for “We Are the Architects”, which includes a nod to the original solo video. “When Michael originally released the song under his own name, he stood in front of a black sheet, set up a couple lamps around him, and filmed himself singing the song with his phone. He layered the lyrics over that and called it a day,” says the band. “When it came to making a video for this new version of the song, we decided to pay homage to the past, but give it some more MESSMAKER flavor. One of the hallmarks of our live performances is our light show, so we pointed ALL of our lights at Michael, and used that same phone to film him singing the song.”
“We Are The Architects” is now playing across all digital streaming platforms. Listen to it on Spotify now, or watch the video on YouTube below.
Aggressively catchy melodies pair with soul-filled lyrics in MESSMAKER’s refreshing take on indie rock. Lighting up stages as a power duo, musical architect Michael McFarland and versatile percussionist Freja McNeal bring the energy of an arena show to every performance. Garnering comparisons ranging from modern rock acts such as Panic At the Disco and Bastille, McFarland’s songwriting is frank, expressive, and clever, and joined by McNeal the Cleveland, Ohio-based act elevates the material on stage with a seemingly inexhaustible energy. Showing a maturity of style and sound that has developed through years of travel, relationships, heartbreaks, and reinventions, MESSMAKER’s music contains talent, passion, and lyrics that come from the heart. The result? A big, bright, and lovestruck slice of anthemic indie rock.
MESSMAKER is celebrating the release of We Are The Architects at the Five O’Clock Lounge in Lakewood Ohio with friends MOSSOM and The Parlor Crows on Friday, August 19th
Messmaker Is:
Michael McFarland – Lead Vocals, Guitar
Freja McNeal – Percussion, Samples, Backing Vocals
Connect With Messmaker:
INSTAGRAM / SPOTIFY / LINKTR.EE / YOUTUBE
