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Seeing “Red” with One Way Out

By Emma Page

Young D.C. rockers One Way Out are known for their eclectic style, and have recently released a unique music video for their single “Red”, the second single off of their sophomore album The Sun, The Moon, The Truth from March 2021. 

The rock band melds classic and blues-inspired late 60’s/early 70’s rock with progressive elements inspired by metal, hard rock, and jazz. These elements are certainly heard in “Red”, with its bluesy chord progressions and delivery that they describe as “a time-honored musical tradition”. This is achieved through Giulio Lacoviello’s bassline, Jake Schaefer’s slide guitar, and firm talented keyboardist Ari Rubenstein. To blend more modern elements, they also added Josh Gaba’s gritty layered vocals, Geist Topping’s pounding percussion, and distorted guitar through a talkbox.

Released exactly one year after Coronavirus lockdowns began, the single reflects the initial internal complications that came along with lockdown and the pandemic. “In spite of the negativity, the hook stresses the power of such a crisis to connect people throughout the world through the ubiquity of the situation, with lines like ‘united by division’ and ‘universal blurry vision’”, the band says. 

The video was shot, edited, and produced by the band’s longtime collaborator Carter Louthian.

The viewer is brought into where the band is “trapped” – a claustrophobic red room, reflecting the confusion of the times. To further illustrate this theme, the band visually “drifts into lunacy” as the song continues. “We decided to shoot the video up in my attic to keep the theme of staying at home during the pandemic,” recalled guitarist Schaefer. “It was definitely a plus that everything in that room is red, I think it’s a color that can already drive you crazy when you’re surrounded by it for too long.” 

The song also drew inspiration from the 1994 film The Shawshank Redemption. Schaefer recalls, “A scene that really stuck out was when Andy Dufresne starts blasting opera for the whole prison. They were locked up and we were locked down, but music was giving us hope to get through it.” In “Red,” the band acknowledges how “Music is your only friend”.

The band is currently on their nine date Music and Euphoria Summer Tour, with their hometown show tonight, June 4, at DC9 Nightclub!

Watch this video to see just how much fun this band is having creating their own unique sound, and find more exciting new music on our Alchemical Multigenre Mixdown playlist on YouTube and Spotify

Alchemical Records contributor Emma Page

Emma Page

Emma Page, a recent Journalism graduate of The George Washington University, possesses a passion for music journalism and storytelling in all its forms. Originally from Baltimore, MD, when she is not writing, she can be found at a local concert or making music of her own.

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