Red Maker

A promise made, a life to live, and bills to pay; all in hope that things will get “Better In Time“. Enjoy life’s ride with Red Maker’s brand new single. An indie song full of hope, meant as a promise made by a husband to his wife.

After his wife was talking of all of the things she wanted to do in life, ending with a “but we’re broke“, Morgan, with a broken heart, wrote the song for her as a promise that no matter what they’d be going thru, it’s all going to be better.

“Better In Time” is filled with a relatable feeling amongst young couples, imitating the tidal feelings of high and low, doubts and reassurances, all of which most had when in immature or over-confident relationships.

The description “Indie on Monster Energy” couldn’t be more right, as the soaring guitars fit somewhere between indie pop with garage rock undertones. The vibe feels nostalgic, swimming through changing dynamics between the verse and chorus, emulating life’s ups and downs. Morgan’s vocals reach high, as if wanting to hold on tight to the energies above him, while he cries out the proposal to enjoy today’s gifts and wait for the light and thrive of the future.

“We recorded the drums in an overnight session at Sam’s place of work on a hot summer night. Not common to record in a t-shirt print shop.”

We wish the best for Red Maker, as well as Morgan’s relationship, to which we sent the best of vibes and wishes, may the future be bright. - Less Than 1,000 Followers

“Better In Time” estreia nesta sexta-feira, dia 11 de junho de 2021, em todas as plataformas de streaming. O single conta com duas faixas, a música e a faixa instrumental. Ela começa como uma balada indie, e lá pelo primeiro minuto se transforma numa releitura do garage rock com aquela batida dos anos 60 e elementos mais modernos, misturando nostalgia com um otimismo de que amanhã será um dia melhor. O tema é inspirado nas questões que os casais jovens passam, quando precisam de apoio para superar os momentos difíceis, planejando uma situação melhor lá na frente. “A música foi escrita como uma promessa à minha esposa de nos tirar de nossa situação financeira ruim quando estávamos realmente no fundo do poço. O conceito é o que a maioria dos casais jovens passa, que é as lutas do dinheiro. E todas as promessas e planos para tornar a vida muito melhor.”, contou a dupla. - Roadie Music

Good Day Noir Family,
our “E.A.Poets Approved/Bands We Like” section is dedicated to Red Maker. I discovered this Duo while shuffling songs on Spotify and I liked their compositional approach.

I liked the sound of this band from the very first seconds.

A way of making music that looks to the past but manages to be modern at the same time.

In some passages, the harmonies reminded me of Oasis and perhaps also the vocal timbre. A voice with an interesting timbre that distinguishes the sound of this band even more.

It feels like these guys have spent a lot of time in the rehearsal room to achieve such an enviable musical understanding.

The production is good especially the mix that leaves the right space for each sound element and the song breathes well.

A nice fuck that I recommend to everyone

Better In Time is Red Maker’s Single Out Now! - Edgar Allen Poets

Wanting to find that energetic, carefree, feel-good song? Look no further than the new track brought to you by South Dakota’s finest, Red Maker. Consisting of vocalist Morgan Harris and instrumentalist Sam Di Vito, the indie-pop duo are offering listeners a moment of escapism with their latest release, 'Better in Time'.
The past year and a half has been a turbulent time, from being thrown into various lockdowns and adhering to all kinds of restrictions; our world has been turned completely upside down and we have all had to adjust to a new normal. However, 'Better in Time' is the perfect song to provide us with an optimistic perspective on the future, instead of dwelling on any current issues we may be facing.
Originally, the song was written by vocalist Harris, after learning that his wife was going through emotional pain due to financial worries. The song is ‘a promise to her that he was gonna work to get them out of that situation and into the good life’, Red Maker says.
As if it needed any more sentimental value, the track is a completely organic, home-grown product. The drums were recorded at Di Vito’s place of work (a t-shirt printing shop), and the rest of the track was recorded and produced in Harris’ basement.
Opening with a calming arpeggiated guitar melody, the listener is immediately welcomed. This later develops into the much-loved indie-rock composition of big guitar chords and up-tempo drums which propel the listener into a powerful chorus.
The track offers a fresh perspective on a challenge faced by many: trying to stay level-headed amongst our struggles, and remain positive that in the future these struggles will be a distant memory. However, due to the pandemic, it has become easier than ever to overthink, and the amount of anxiety and burn-out felt amongst many people around the globe has sky-rocketed. 'Better in Time' represents the hope and motivation that most of us need to power through these hardships, and in this sense, is a gift to anybody who has the pleasure of listening to the track. - Music Is To Blame

It was love at first listen when I heard “B!tch” by Red Maker. This South Dakota band had me in the palm of their hand and I think they knew it when they reached out to me about covering their brand new self-titled album. I’m okay with it. I knew I wanted so much more from this band after hearing the one track I heard so let’s not waste any time and jump into this album!

Much like when I heard their single, I was instantly hooked as “Better in Time” took over my house. With nostalgic 90s tendencies that effortlessly blended into something just a bit more modern and fresh, this opening song lays out everything about Red Maker that I had expected. A powerful groove, almost pop-punk inspired vocals, and a fresh take on music in general. This opening track doesn’t really give you a feel for what the rest of this album will have in store stylistically but I loved that. It left a lot of questions in my mind. Was the album going to go heavy? Maybe stay a bit light with an indie influence heard in the background? Or will it go straight nostalgic? My head was spinning as I let the opening track play.

“Slip” brings a ballad-like vibe to this album but without going too soft or even soft at all. The only reason I want to use the phrase ballad-like here is due to the slower and intentional beat that reigns supreme throughout this second song. I felt like the vocals were really given their chance to shine as this song played through while not letting you forget or ignore the rest of the band. Although I don’t think this is going to be a favorite song of mine from my album, I loved how it showcased a side of this band that seemed completely different from what I experienced in the first track and “B!tch” (which is on this album so keep reading!).

The way “Slip” flows into “Hey Katie” is both perfect yet unpredictable. “Hey Katie” starts off with a super catch yet simple guitar part that kind of mirrors the slower technicality shown in “Slip” but it quickly turns into a boppy little, well, bop. This is such a fun track and was instantly a favorite of mine. From the infectious beat to the lyrics that seemed to just really resonate with me, to the amount of power that gets shown about a minute and a half in, this is one of those songs that just instantly made me smile.

One of the longer songs on the album, “Song of Wings” is the perfect “zone out” track. I don’t mean that in a bad way at all but this song just kind of drifted me off to another land which, after a day a frantic working that seemingly has no end, was just what I needed. Again, the style of this band completely shifts when compared to the previous tracks. This is more tender and seems to lean more towards the feeling of “Slip” while also leaning just a bit more emo when it comes to the lyrical content and presentation of the lyrics. I loved the heart and soul that came through so clearly throughout this track.

The tenderness and care continues into “Case of Blues” only this time it comes with just a hint of more heartbreak. This is an absolutely gorgeous track and not really something I thought I would get from Red Maker on this album. The first few songs I had heard form Red Maker definitely had more aggression and energy than “Case of the Blues” but, as the title mentions, it seems like the writer of this track just had a slight “Case of the Blues”. Don’t get me wrong, there is a true sense of energy throughout this track but the way it seems to match the ups and downs that is mental heath for some of us in a singular day is just as powerful and beautiful as it is deep and heartbreaking.

“Boxcar Bed” is the longest track on this eleven song album and it continues on with the gorgeous and calm vibe laid out by the previous couple of tracks. Honestly, with how exhausted I was feeling, this didn’t quite hit the spot for me right now but it is definitely one of those songs I will be keeping in my back pocket for those days when I am feeling manic and just need to calm down a bit. It’s an absolutely stunning track but I was ready for things to ramp back up and I could feel them start to as the album moved onto “The Stardust Ballroom”.

Although still a slower track, the vibe changes ever so slightly to something a bit more vintage. The recording quality throughout this album has this almost grainy value to it that fits so perfectly but I felt like it really enhanced this throwback of a track. I also felt like, when mixed with the song title, you literally transport to a different time while listening to this song. I can see the marquee of “The Stardust Ballroom” in my mind. The doors being flooded by people all dressed up and ready for a night on the town with their puffy dresses and their main squeeze hanging onto their arm. Weird, yes. But just listen to this track and I promise it will happen to you too! There’s a plot twist in this track too that I won’t be ruining for you but, even though it’s a five and a half minute long song, I found myself completely captivated throughout the track,

The energy and attitude I had been expecting from Red Maker comes back into play as the album moves onto the eighth track, “Toke ‘n’ Smoke”. With a little garage punk vibe and whole lot of energy, this song reminded me of some of the new bands out there in the pop-punk world these days. A little Iron Chic attitude mixed with the more accessible indie-rock nature of bands like Pinegroe and Hippo Campus, this was another instant favorite of mine just due to the blend of genres that shouldn’t work well together yet sounds absolutely flawless when done by Red Maker. This mix of genres continues into “Fool” but with a more old school pop-punk leaning skate-punk vibe. This song is quick but it absolutely packs a punch to it and shows the rougher side of this band which is just as flawless as all of the other sides that we have seen throughout this journey.

Finally we have come to “B!tch” and, after hearing all of the other songs from Red Maker, I am even more confused by this one. It has an almost southern influence that isn’t heard throughout the rest of this album but I love that. On top of that southern vibe, there’s just something a bit more sharp tongued about this song which reminds me of bands like Grad Life and PUP if they had been a thing back in the 90s. I love the fact that this band got me in the palm of their hand under false pretenses in a way but then proceeded to completely wow me. Even though I typically don’t pick songs I’ve already heard as my favorites because I also end up finding something else that I really love when listening to a full album, “B!tch” continues to be one of my favoirte tracks on this album.

Red Maker’s self-titled album ends with “It’s A Question”. With a Smashing Pumpkins feeling guitar part to introduce you to this song and a core that can only be described as Red Maker– this was a perfect way to end the journey that was this album while leaving you wanting so much more from this band.

Red Maker has been working on this album for a long time. I looked back and I first heard their single about a year ago. They took their time with this album and that is abundantly clear as you listen through. There’s thought and care put into every song, the order of the songs– everything. From what I can tell, this is Red Maker’s first “official” album (they have a demo out there with some rough mixes of some of these songs and more) but I truly hope it won’t be the last.

Okay, Red Maker– you still have me in the palm of your hand and I truly never want to leave. I live here now.

My Favorite Track(s): “Hey Katie”; “Toke ‘n’ Smoke”; “B!tch”

For Fans Of: Nostalgic 90s Vibes; Modern Pop-punk; Sounds that refuse to be classyfied into one particular genre

Mosh-ability: 6 out of 10

What My Cats Thought Of It: Alfie and Autumn slept upstairs; Poor Artie is still sick so he just laid on the back of the couch

How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 10 out of 10

My Overall Rating: 9.3 out of 10

Check Out Red Maker here:

Red Maker on Instagram

Check Out ‘Red Maker’ HERE! - Girl at the Rock Shows

It’s difficult to miss them: Red Maker fans flooding the dance floor with flower crowns, smiling faces and good vibes every time the band plays.

“They represent kind of what we’re about in life,” lead singer Morgan Harris said of the flower crowns. “We mainly talk about our experiences in real life and I figured flowers are a good way to represent that. When you get married, there’s flowers. When you get buried, there’s bouquets. We wanted to represent the major ups and downs in life because that’s what we all sing about.”

Formed in 2019 by Morgan Harris and Sam Di Vito, Red Maker has morphed from a duo into a quartet, with Kyle Dowling joining as lead guitarist and Morgan’s brother, Mason Harris, starting on bass just this year. Each member brings their own flavor to the music, which means they have a little bit of something for everyone. Lead guitarist Dowling is largely influenced by 80s hard rock, while bassist Mason enjoys the stylings of Primus and Insane Clown Posse and creates his own beats.

“We strive to write new music and get stuff in your earholes,” Dowling said. “We just wanna get something out there that someone likes to listen to.”

Like many bands, Red Maker’s goal is to perform full-time. They currently each work day jobs as many artists do before getting to that next level.

“I was sitting at my desk one day and I was like, ‘What am I doing?’” Dowling said. “That’s when I asked to join the band.”

“Why wouldn’t you wanna do this every day?” Di Vito said. “Yeah, you can do it as a hobby, but if you put in a little extra work you can do it for the rest of your life.”

This year’s Four Winds Festival won’t be a first for the band. They played as a trio at the event in 2022. This will be the biggest festival they’ve played to date, all agreeing that they can’t believe how fast Four Winds has grown, and how it’s so great for the community.

If you want to help this or any band out, here’s Morgan’s advice:

“Come out to our shows. Stream our music. Give us money or drugs, whichever comes first,” Morgan said laughing. “I reeeally like drugs. As long as it ends with drugs, that’s all I care about.” - Sodak Music Mag