In anticipation of their March 22 show at the Bushwick venue Sleepwalk, Miracle Sweepstakes roll out the grand debut of the mischievous visuals for “Bad Bee” featured off their third album Last Licks. A record that further cements the group’s status as one of the most treasured cult rock phenoms of recent years — in many ways they are orchestrating what few to none in the creative realm are doing. At first listen their work might strike the astute and learned listener as something anachronistic that then quickly gives way to a sound that is idiosyncratic to absolutely out of this world. Their work hits like the sound of the most treasured vintage wax from the most minted record store all mixed and melted together in a glorious liquid licorice consommé. Those in the know totally get it while the rest of the world will eventually discover the ‘Sweepstakes and give them their flowers as part of the cultural canon of curious rock & roll eccentrics, alchemists, inventors and boffins at heart.

Starring friend of the band Ben Bar as the titular “Bad Bee”, the Miracle Sweepstakes track takes on an even more spirited and buzzy life running amok about the busy streets of New York. Our bumbling protagonist begins the day sipping some sweet nectar from a classic honey bear container before hitting the rum. Taking out aggression on some empty boxes and proceeding to gnaw on the cardboard, our beloved buzzing friend gets existential to carnal with the Google searches before engaging in the sidewalk vices of cigarette smoking, shooting craps, before hitting the playground to indulge in some pull ups before taking a break with a 40oz bottle of Olde English. During the song's big cacophonous break down, things go sideways as Ben chases down the craps player to snag back the cash, steals the band van from bandleader Craig Heed before retiring for the day with cash, rum and keys in hand. As a wild and imaginative as the song itself, the quixotic visual perfectly suits the supremely supernatural splendor of one of 2023’s most serendipitous sleeper hits.

Craig Heed of Miracle Sweepstakes provided the following reflections about the track and visuals that comprise — “Bad Bee”:

The origins of “Bad Bee” lie in a joke songwriting prompt among our friend group: write a song with the chord progression B-A-D-B-E-E, about a “Bad Bee”. If the lyrics to “Bad Bee” capture how our antihero sees himself — a downtrodden maverick who won’t let the fact that you only get one stinger in this life keep him down — then the video shows us how the world sees him.

Played by Ben Bar (whose own recorded answer to the prompt took the perspective of the bee’s victim, and memorably features the couplet, Bad bee/Why does he bite me?), the Bad Bee on the screen indulges in familiar vices before finding himself at an impasse. As the song careens into a noise freak out, the Bad Bee’s internal and external selves coalesce, and he finds a new resolve in life.

Catch Miracle Sweepstakes live March 22 in Bushwick at Sleepwalk with Birthday Ass and Porkseed: the Negotiator.

Last Licks is available now via One Weird Trick.