The Macks are back with “Bonanza”
Building their own bizarre universe and hurling themselves through it at warp speed, Portland, Oregon’s The Macks today release their new album Bonanza via DevilDuck Records/ Monotone’s record label fullaway through The Orchard. Only announcing the album at the beginning of September, the band makes the assertion that rock music should be both deliberate and still a little bit chaotic in its most raw form — Stream Bonanza.
A bonanza is a situation or event that creates a sudden increase in wealth or good fortune. The Macks’ Bonanza however has no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Founded in 2015 by brothers Josef (drums) and Ben Windheim (guitar), Sam Fulwiler (vocals), Jacob Michael Perris (keys) and Aidan Harrison (bass), The Macks have been collecting disciples one at a time, building up their cult-like following. They see this album as a record made just for those very people. Focused, scattered, electric and tender, Bonanza is a collection of miscellaneous rock that could only have been crafted by this dedicated and bull-headedly sincere troupe of desperate artists. First time listeners will be met with honest writing, bold production, and a world that invites them to join in on the good fortune — just don’t expect any money.
In a hard-driving suite of 11 tracks, the new record covers everything from the disillusionment of existing in the current state of affairs to the doldrums of the suburban lifestyle. Topics that they had to move away from to eventually get close to, Bonanza is The Macks in raw, unfiltered form.
Windheim shared, “We had a very strong vision for ‘Bonanza.’ With ‘The Macks Are A Knife,’ we explored a maximalist approach, writing tons of songs and creating dense arrangements. With ‘Bonanza,’ we knew the tracklist before we recorded a single note, and we pre-produced the whole thing. It’s not a concept album, but loosely it’s an ‘I am’ statement, showing as completely what The Macks can do as possible. It’s soft, heavy, catchy, heady, fun, devastating, cocky, vulnerable… It’s all about contrast and our lives which comes with the entire range of emotions”
Putting it simply, Fulwiler said, “Bonanza is a slice of life. It’s about boys, girls, and dying.”
PRAISE FOR BONANZA
YOUNGSTER YEAR “But for 10 years, The Macks have stayed a band, and they’ve done so with a staunch doggedness that’s done nothing but move them forward.”
THE AUX MAGAZINE “Far from cautious, the band is barreling straight into the release with their trademark reckless sincerity.”
THOUGHTS WORDS ACTION “Known for their relentless DIY energy, the band refuse to overthink or overproduce, choosing instead to capture lightning in a bottle. Bonanza arrives after just a month of preparation, a rock-solid example of their philosophy that rock should be immediate, raw, and alive.”
BLURRED CULTURE “There’s something raw and intriguing about this band, a lo-fi, dirt-under-the-fingernails sound that feels both chaotic and deliberate, like they’re daring you to wade into the mess with them.”
X96 “Their sound mixes raw energy with varied influences, pulling from classic rock, improvisational jazz, and underground noise, depending on the moment. Their live shows reflect that same range: unpredictable, layered, and always searching.”
IDIOTEQ “Portland rock troublemakers”
CEL “The Macks are the type to rip the floorboards up right before their world swallows you whole.”
