Hit - "Umarell" b/w "Treadmill"
Craig Heed of Miracle Sweepstakes spent a good amount of time in 2020 writing and demoing songs for a new project called Hit. He recently shared its first two offerings, “Umarell” and “Treadmill,” which turn down the psychedelia and ramp up the pop factor to what can only be described as extremely powerful levels when compared with his other project. The name of this project is Hit for a reason, as these two tunes are shiny baroque-pop gems that’d top the charts in another era.
Heed has a knack for littering his songs with shimmering hooks, and these two are no exception, as they both have quite a few that’ll tug on your earlobes. “Umarell” is anchored by a circular riff that threads the entire song together, from the aching harmonies in the early verses to the drifting and adventurous guitar solo in the bridge. He works in a mellotron on “Treadmill” that sets the table for a more sinewy bassline and rhythm section, making the song a bit more head-noddy. Once again, Heed’s bright guitar work is the track’s defining characteristic, but he places more of an emphasis on his voice during the verses, ditching the guitar entirely at certain points and letting the bass lead the way.
The lyrical themes on both songs appear to focus on the neverending nature of work and the existential crisis it can invoke. On “Umarell,” Heed explicitly states in the first verse that he’ll end up as one if “all goes well.” The title refers to an Italian folk term used to deprecatingly describe men of retirement age who pass their time watching construction sites, stereotypically with hands clasped behind their back and offering unwanted advice to the men on the work site - a stereotype that Heed references directly in the verses. While “Umarell” seems to dive into the aftermath of a not so rewarding life of work, “Treadmill” more directly confronts the here and now of the sometimes grueling nature of the daily grind. Particularly, the prominent bassline seems to reflect Heed’s words, which delve into the cyclical nature of routines and the challenges that come with working to survive.
Stream the “Umarell” and “Treadmill” below!
You can purchase both tracks via Bandcamp. They’re also available to stream on Spotify. Keep up with Hit by following them on Instagram.
