Miracles of Modern Science

Miracles of Modern Science was formed at Princeton University by Josh Hirshfeld and Evan Younger, after the two met on Facebook in 2004 {{cite web |title=Street sits down with MoMs, Princeton's Vampire Weekend |url=https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2009/11/street-sits-down-with-moms-princetons-vampire-weekend |website=The Princetonian |access-date=December 3, 2021 |date=November 2009}}{{cite web |last1=Kates |first1=Kristi |title=Honest, Abe - It's Miracles of Modern Science |url=http://www.groupee.com/displaycontent/content/127240557044169651 |website=Groupee |access-date=December 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125011957/http://www.groupee.com/displaycontent/content/127240557044169651 |archive-date=January 25, 2013 |date=November 6, 2009 |url-status=live }} The duo experimented with a wide range of styles, from country to sea shanty, before arriving at their signature sound of indie rock blended with classical string quartet. They were later joined by Ledwidge and McDonald, and finally by drummer Tyler Pines in 2005, completing the band's lineup. Once assembled, the band played mostly at Princeton and in venues close by until they graduated. During this time, the band became known for wearing silver space suits during performances, although they have since discontinued the trend.

After graduating from Princeton, MOMS moved to Brooklyn. In 2008, they released a self-titled EP, which they began recording while still in college and completed post-graduation. This album was critically well-received, with The Wheel's Still in Spin calling it the fourth best EP of 2008,{{cite web |url=http://www.thewheelsstillinspin.com/2008/12/best-eps-of-2008.html|website=Wheel's Still in Spin |title=Best EP of 2008 |accessdate=2010-02-05 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100410041711/http://www.thewheelsstillinspin.com/2008/12/best-eps-of-2008.html |archivedate=2010-04-10 }} Consequence of Sound giving a four and a half star review,{{cite web |last1=Young |first1=Alex |title=Album Review: Miracles of Modern Science - Miracles of Modern Science |url=https://consequence.net/2008/11/album-review-miracles-of-modern-science/ |website=Consequence|access-date=December 3, 2021 |date=November 11, 2008}} and Wired News writing that MOMS play "consummate major-key space-pop that sounds like something new".{{cite magazine |last=Buskirk |first=Eliot Van |title=The Miracles Of Modern Science's Orchestral Space-Pop |url=https://www.wired.com/2008/07/band-stuns-list/ |magazine=Wired |access-date=December 3, 2021 |date=July 31, 2008}} Spin Magazine named the band one of the "25 Must-Hear Artists from the CMJ Festival" in October 2009.{{cite web |last=Kiser |first=Matt |title=25 Must-Hear Artists from the CMJ Festival |url=https://www.spin.com/2009/10/25-must-hear-artists-cmj-festival/?image=22 |website=SPIN |access-date=December 3, 2021 |date=October 23, 2009}}

The band began recording their debut LP Dog Year in early 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.miraclesofmodernscience.com/2010/03/11/we-are-go-for-the-lp/ |title=WE ARE GO FOR THE LP |accessdate=2010-04-14 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714101056/http://www.miraclesofmodernscience.com/2010/03/11/we-are-go-for-the-lp/ |archivedate=2011-07-14|website=Miracles of Modern Science}} WNYC premiered the lead single "Eating Me Alive" in August 2011,WNYC: "Gig Alert: Miracles of Modern Science" {{cite web |url=http://www.wnyc.org/shows/soundcheck/articles/music-hub/2011/aug/25/gig-alert-miracles-modern-science/ |title=Soundcheck ®: Gig Alert: Miracles of Modern Science - WNYC |accessdate=2012-04-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427085304/http://www.wnyc.org/shows/soundcheck/articles/music-hub/2011/aug/25/gig-alert-miracles-modern-science/ |archivedate=2012-04-27 }} and the band released the album independently on December 6, 2011. Dog Year received critical acclaim upon release, including favorable reviews from Paste,{{cite web |last=Reed |first=Ryan |title=Miracles of Modern Science: Dog Year |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/miracles-of-modern-science/miracles-of-modern-science-dog-year/ |website=Paste Magazine |access-date=December 3, 2021 |date=December 7, 2011}} Consequence of Sound,{{cite web |last=Young |first=Alex |title=Album Review: Miracles of Modern Science - Dog Year |url=https://consequence.net/2011/12/album-review-miracles-of-modern-science-dog-year/ |website=Consequence |access-date=December 3, 2021 |date=December 8, 2011}} and Beats Per Minute,{{cite web |last=Hakimian |first=Rob |title=Album Review: Miracles of Modern Science – Dog Year|url=https://beatsperminute.com/album-review-miracles-of-modern-science-dog-year/ |website=Beats Per Minute |access-date=December 3, 2021 |date=December 7, 2011}} who also included Dog Year on their list of the top albums of 2011.{{cite web |title=The Top Albums of 2011: Honorable Mentions |url=https://beatsperminute.com/the-top-albums-of-2011-honorable-mentions/ |website=Beats Per Minute |access-date=December 3, 2021 |date=December 14, 2011}} Wired News included the track "Eating Me Alive" on their "Top 100 Songs of 2011" playlist.{{cite magazine |last=Mattise |first=Nathan |title=Wired's Top 100 Songs of 2011 Spotify Playlist |url=https://www.wired.com/2011/12/100-best-songs-of-2011/ |magazine=Wired |access-date=December 3, 2021}} A live performance and interview with Audie Cornish on NPR's Weekend Edition the weekend after the album release earned the band national recognition.{{cite web |title=Miracles Of Modern Science: No Guitars Necessary |url=https://www.npr.org/2011/12/11/143395128/miracles-of-modern-science-no-guitars-necessary |website=NPR |access-date=December 3, 2021 |date=December 11, 2011}}

In January 2011, Miracles of Modern Science released the parody video "Bon Joviver" (a portmanteau of Bon Jovi and Bon Iver) on YouTube. The video, in which the band performs an excerpt from Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name" in the visual and musical style of Bon Iver, received considerable viral attention after being shared by The Huffington Post,{{Cite web |date=2012-01-24 |title=The Inevitable Bon Jovi, Bon Iver Mashup Is Magical |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bon-joviver-miracles-of-modern-science_n_1228211 |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=HuffPost |language=en}} BuzzFeed,{{cite web |last=Jefferson |first=Whitney |title="Bon Joviver" Is The Bon Jovi/Bon Iver Mashup You've Been Waiting For |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/whitneyjefferson/bon-jovier-is-the-bon-jovibon-iver-mashup-you |website=BuzzFeed |access-date=December 3, 2021 |date=January 23, 2012}} and Bon Iver's Justin Vernon himself,{{cite tweet|user=blobtower|author=Jdev| number=161482237056008193|title=“@rlanning: @blobtower Have you seen this, Bon Joviver? http://youtu.be/8IZKE2Hd6Ck ” WHOA! DUDES!|date=January 23, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121217193231/https://twitter.com/blobtower/status/161482237056008193|archive-date=December 17, 2012|url-status=dead}} among others.

Miracles of Modern Science released their second EP, MEEMS, in February 2013. The Guardian's music blog said its six songs "highlight talents becoming rarer and rarer to find in modern music".{{cite web |title=March's best music from across the MAP |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2013/apr/02/music-alliance-pact-march |website=the Guardian |access-date=December 3, 2021 |date=April 2, 2013}} Younger wrote the lyrics to lead single "The Singularity" after becoming interested in Transhumanism and Artificial intelligence.{{cite web |last=Angelica |first=Amara D. |title=Album MEEMS and track "The Singularity" by acoustic rock band Miracles of Modern Science|url=https://www.kurzweilai.net/album-meems-and-track-the-singularity-by-acoustic-rock-band-miracles-of-modern-science |website=Kurzweil |access-date=December 3, 2021 |date=February 5, 2013}} The band gained further notoriety for their eccentric cover versions of popular songs, accompanied by humorous music videos. Their version of Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" received over 2 million views on YouTube and broadened the band's international fan base.

In August 2013, drummer Tyler Pines left the band, citing "other commitments and passions."Miracles of Modern Science: "Sad News" http://www.miraclesofmodernscience.com/2013/08/28/sad-news/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812205222/http://www.miraclesofmodernscience.com/2013/08/28/sad-news/ |date=2014-08-12 }} He was soon replaced by Serge Terentev, a recent immigrant from Saint Petersburg, Russia whom the band found on Craigslist.{{cite web |author=Evan |title=What's Going On |url=http://www.miraclesofmodernscience.com/2014/04/08/whats-going-on/ |website=Miracles of Modern Science |access-date=December 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140812164207/http://www.miraclesofmodernscience.com/2014/04/08/whats-going-on/ |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |date=8 April 2014 |url-status=live }} Terentev accompanied MOMS on a tour supporting Norwegian recording artist Bernhoft{{cite web |author=Evan |title=Announcing fall tour with Bernhoft |url=http://www.miraclesofmodernscience.com/2013/09/30/announcing-fall-tour-with-bernhoft/ |website=Miracles of Modern Science |access-date=3 December 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140812173447/http://www.miraclesofmodernscience.com/2013/09/30/announcing-fall-tour-with-bernhoft/ |archive-date=12 August 2014 |date=30 September 2013 |url-status=live }} and a performance at the Elle Style Awards in Istanbul, Turkey in December 2013.

;Albums

• Dog Year (2011)
• Mean Dreams (2015)

;EPs

• Miracles of Modern Science (2008)
• MEEMS (2013)

;Singles

• "Swipe" featuring Kristin Slipp (2014)
• "Funny Friend" featuring Soce, The Elemental Wizard (2013)
• "Art of Science" (2010)
• "I Found Space" (2010)
• "Bossa Supernova" (2009)

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• [http://www.miraclesofmodernscience.com/ Miracles of Modern Science official homepage]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160305211959/http://indigestmag.com/blog/?p=7895 A recording journal for MOMS debut album] at InDigest Magazine

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Category:Indie rock musical groups from New Jersey

Category:Musical groups established in 2005