Pretend You re

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hail to the dream

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Released: Feb 4, 2011

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hail to the dream
2:17
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ashes away
2:07
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the song i sing
4:08
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the other side of the earth
3:26
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tear down the walls
3:41
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Total Plays: 30,905 / Plays Today: 1See All Featured ►

General Info

Genre: Experimental / Glam / Indie
Location North Carolina, US
Profile Views: 48753
Last Login: 2/8/2012
Member Since 10/9/2007
Website pretendyourehappy.pretendyourehappy.net
Record Label Fake Four Inc./DIY Bandits
Type of Label Indie
Bio
.. .. .. ............ .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .............................................................................................................. Pretend You're Happy use indie rock to encourage reverence and catharsis in everyday life. Based out of Brattleboro and Burlington, VT, the band plays in a variety of live forms. One night they might be a stripped down acoustic 2-piece, the next an 8-piece electric entourage including two drummers, a doublebass player, and a clarinet-noise player. Their music takes influence from divergent genres such as folk, classical, and hardcore. .. With their official 2008 release on Fake Four Inc. and DIY Bandits Pretend You're Happy set out to spread their word further than ever before. Acoustic guitar compositions by Jeremiah Morelock were the initial points of inspiration that formed these now richly orchestrated pieces. Formerly known as "Mantits", Jeremiah gained some recognition throughout the DIY Acoustic Punk movement for his sarcastic solo releases including a split release with Vermont band Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains. In 2005 Jeremiah retired the "Mantits" title to start Pretend You're Happy with Jeremy Bernozzi (drums) and Mikey Cham (doublebass). Eventually the list of collaborators on the project grew to include Lauren Bernozzi, Nicholas Gangel, Forrest Mulerath, Jonas Fricke, Ruth Garbus, Seqouyah Leaf, Timothy Findlen, Ron Schneiderman, Caitlin Senni, Ike Wittman, and Flash-C. During the summer of 2007 a decidedly hi-fi recording full of introspective lyrics, quirky yet lush orchestration, 9 parts pop and 1 part dissonance was completed. "Pretend You're Happy" is a rare album that brings to mind some of the finer moments of recordings by Neutral Milk Hotel, Sufjan Stevens, Polyphonic Spree and The Decemberists all while maintaining a strong and original voice of its own. .. Today they routinely play throughout the New England area at DIY punk venues, bars, and coffee houses with additional members including Joanne Morelock (vocals, flute), Tobias Novak (piano), and Scotty Thunderlips (bass, guitar). Jeremiah and Joanne recorded a demo CD in July 2009 titled "Foreshadows in Acoustic Redux," in preparation for their upcoming 2-person acoustic tour. The recording presents a few songs that will be included in a much more layered, orchestrated, and noisey form on their second full length recording, due out sometime in the coming year. As for long-term goals, the group is more focused on process than on destination. As their music displays and their lyrics profess, they are looking forward to playful expansion and exploration. .... ........................................................................................................ .. .... ........ .. ....Pretend You'e Happy is out as a split-label release by.. .. ......Fake Four Inc........ .... and .. ......DIY Bandits........ .. You can get it now at .. ...... ......Circle into Square........ .... .. ......Squid's Eye Records........ .... .. ......Interpunk........ ..
Members
..Nick Gangel: ..percussion.. ..Lauren Bernozzi: ..percussion.. ..Forrest Mulerath: ..rototoms, clapping.. ..Jonas Emmanuel Fricke: ..drums.. ..Jeremy Bernozzi: ..drums, percussion, vocals.. ..Ruth Garbus: ..vocals, clarinet, violin.. ..Mikey Cham: ..double bass.. ..Sequoyah Leaf: ..noise, clarinet.. ..Timothy Findlen: ..noise.. ..Ron Schneiderman: ..noise.. ..Caitlin C. M. Senni: ..accordian.. ..Icarus Grover Wittman: ..dogchain.. ..Flash-C: ..trumpet.. ..Jeremiah Chapman Morelock: ..vocals, acoustic.. electric and bass guitars, ukelele, piano,.. digital piano, synthesizer, percussion, tympani,.. bells, chimes, gamelan, mandolin, noise.. ..Joanne Chapman Morelock:.. vocals, flute.. ..Tobias Novak:.. piano.. ..Scotty Thunderlips:.. bass, guitar.. ..Kevin Hendrick:.. trumpet.. ..Dave Painchaud:.. trumpet, flugelhorn.. ..Elisabeth Haynes:.. french horn.. ..Paul MacDonald:.. mellophone.. ..David Sokol:.. tuba.. ..Amy Bateman:.. violin.. ..Stacey Benben:.. cello.. ..Ben O'Shea:.. trombone
Influences
phil ochs, neurosis, beethoven, queen, david bowie, neutral milk hotel, mary o'hara, shotakovich, godspeed you black emperor, bob dylan, cat stevens, johnny hobo and the freight trains, john lennon, beatles, his hero is gone, mantits, radiohead, in/humanity, green day, hatebreed, sick of it all, bright eyes, pixies, magnetic fields, nick cave, tom waits, kimya dawson, moldy peaches, nomeansno, citizen fish, subhumans, ramones, screeching weasel, madball, schubert, led zeppelin, black sabbath, guns n' roses, kodo, red army choir, louis armstrong, bessie smith, miles davis, king crimson, sex pistols...etc.
Sounds Like
a cathartic nostalgia fantasy of clunky childhood thunder twinkle