Maudlin Strangers Releases Official Music Video For “UNDER MY SKIN”
INDIE ROCK BAND MAUDLIN STRANGERS RELEASES OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
FOR NEW SINGLE “UNDER MY SKIN”
Maudlin Strangers are not new to the indie rock scene.
Their new single, “Under My Skin,” perfectly showcases their distinct ability to blend bouncing indie rock grooves with singer Jake Hays’ borderline-crooning vocal style, rather reminiscent of UK acts like Arctic Monkeys.
Directed and edited by Hays himself, the video for “Under My Skin” is an homage to the iconic black and white Ed Sullivan Show with a sprinkle of The Twilight Zone, with a flair of Joker.
“I had the idea that I wanted to show the band on an old late night TV show,” says Hays. “Though instead of a wholesome performance, I wanted there to be an eerie edge. The song is about knowing you’re in a toxic relationship and accepting your part in it, yet choosing to stay, so wearing clown makeup felt appropriate to depict that meaning.”
“I’ve been a big fan of the juxtaposition of 1950s aesthetics with an unsettling edge to it, which is a style you’ll see show up in almost all of the new Maudlin Strangers artwork. It’s a very fun sandbox to play around in”, says Hays, who does all the art for the band. “It’s something I’ve been drawn to for a long time, so it feels right to place the story of the band within this created retro-future time period.”
What started as the brain-child of Los Angeles native Jake Hays, Maudlin Strangers began its inception as a solo indie rock project in 2010. After a handful of independent releases and curating a band comprised of close friends, they signed with BMG/Vagrant Records to release the label-debut Overdose EP in 2015, subsequently touring with label-mate Bad Suns across US/Canada. After a west coast tour with pop-trio LANY, they toured as direct support for Cold War Kids on their North America/Canada tour, before ultimately going on a hiatus in 2016 for Hays to commit more to producing and acting.
Forward to 2023, Maudlin Strangers re-emerged with a new lineup of more close friends (original member Richie Gonzales on Drums, Alexander "Schmorgle" Morgan on Guitar/Keys, and Drew Bruchs on Bass) to a sold out hiatus-breaking show in LA and a handful of singles throughout 2024 to show they are very much back in the game.
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