by Maria Arroyo
Miracle Sweepstakes is a rock band out of New York. They recently dropped their album, Rorschached, on November 22nd! The all-guy group is part of One Weird Twick Records and has been all over showcasing all their new material!
Rorschached, as a whole, is definitely a different sound than what I’m used to, but it was a change that was much needed. “Forcefield” did a great job of exposing the listener to their unique sound and was a smart choice for their opener. They have so many influences mixed into all of their songs like rock and alternative, with hints of jazz and indie-pop that shows off just how dynamic their sound is. The use of very washed out vocals is also a nice addition to their sound.
“Fire Lie” has this interesting breakdown halfway through the song, making the listener believe the song is over, only to come back in very softly and almost hauntingly, and then explode into a high energy ending.
“Shoot the Blue” was a shift from the high energy and heavy instrumentation. There is a softer acoustic approach that was matched with elements of suspension and tension that was very symbolic of their sound. Their use of leading tones and different musical choices keep the listener alert and waiting to see what they are going to hear next. “Boomerang” and “Memory Grain” are similar in their energy and continue with this edge-of-your-seat feeling because we really don’t know where the songs will take us. The vocals were not as present as I would have liked to hear, but their attention to different musical choices and play on words really made up for that.
“Black Bouquet” and “Relative Mind” became my favorites because of the smooth acoustic sound. The guitar, piano, and vocals meshed really well together and complemented each other exceptionally well. “Relative Mind” and “Signs Up and Down” also had traces of funk and shoegaze that made the set of songs even more diverse than they already were. The latter had a more unforeseen transition between the chorus and bridge and while I could appreciate the change in style, the abrupt split in the song came on a little too strong for my liking. However, when the second part of the song was introduced, I felt it was executed phenomenally.
“Mary Where Are You” had a lot of great backing vocals that really complemented the instruments and the lead vocals. Some of the same haunting tones from previous songs peaked their way back to the end of the EP. The final chorus is delivered with a lot more strength that leads to the repeat of the beginning of the song. I Try showed great attention to detail by not overpowering the backing vocals and the evidence of a strong and steady beat that kept your foot tapping along throughout the entire EP.
Miracle Sweepstakes is definitely a band like no other. Their sound itself sets them apart from other bands, along with their commitment to delivering quality music.
Give the EP a listen yourself with the links below!
https://open.spotify.com/
soundcloud.com/miracle-
