The Secret Machines Reveal Psychedelic New Video For “Atomic Heels”
Wednesday, November 19th, 2008A word of warning: the video for “Atomic Heels,” the first single off the Secret Machines’ 2008 self-titled record, is not for the faint-hearted. Directed by celebrated music photographer Brantley Gutierrez, it’s an entrancing look into the essence of the band. Haunting, super-saturated images of drums, guitars, and keyboards flash and flutter and spin, reflecting both the psychedelic nature of the Secret Machines’ music and the studio, the legendary Electric Lady, where the album was mixed. It’s a contemporary, cutting-edge graphic interpretation and homage to psychedelic music, and in itself reflects the driving, prog-influenced rhythms and universally approachable themes the trio have always encompassed and defined.
“You keep telling me everything’s got to be real,” frontman Brandon Curtis sings as figures swirl around him and clouded forms begin to take shape, bringing up the question that’s been asked from time immemorial: what is an actuality, and what is just an imagined apparition? And more, does it even matter?
The effect can be spellbinding at times, but there’s an intricate organization to the seeming chaos. Each layer of the video represents a track in “Atomic Heels”; they are laid on top of one another and mixed as if they were the parts of the song. When guitarist Phil Karnats launches into a solo, his instrument is brought to the front of the screen; when Curtis sings it’s his face that’s most clearly seen. The music ends in a frenzy, but as the video closes it’s just Curtis in front of his keyboards, alone. With up to eight layers at any given point, the video can be hypnotizingly intense, but the more times it’s watched, the correspondence between the sonic and visual elements becomes even more apparent, and the more the ingenuity of the completed piece reveals itself. It’s a video unlike any others out there, but, then again, it’s the Secret Machines: what more could you expect?
When the Secret Machines were in LA last month finishing up their North American tour, they stopped by FUEL TV to film a couple of songs. FUEL will be airing the performance today, Wednesday 11/19, 9:00 pm ET (6:00 pm PT) and 12:00 am ET (9:00 pm PT).
Nov 26 - Mexico City @ Sports Palace*
Nov 28 - Guadalajara @ Arena VFG*
Nov 29 - Monterrey @ Arena Monterrey*
Dec 12 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live +
*opening for Oasis
+ co-headline with Perry Farrell

Artist: The Secret Machines
Album: Secret Machines
Label: TSM Recordings
Street Date: October 14, 2008
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“ATOMIC PURGATORY!” exclaims Brandon Curtis, the vocalist/ keyboardist/bass player and principal songwriter behind the Secret Machines. The psychedelic New York trio’s founding member has just come out of self-imposed exile after being isolated in a 6 x 6-foot room at Electric Lady Studios for the last 10 days, while he used Apple Loops to tackle the preparation of stems for the upcoming “Atomic Heels” Remix Contest for GarageBand.
