"Demons Dancing", "State of mind" & "60632" where recorded at Blue Room Studio and produced by Edgars Legzdins and Pretty Good Dance Moves. "Who gets to Say", "Heat of the Night: "P.G.D.M" & "The color blue" were recorded at Studio Ballistico and produced by Pretty Good Dance Moves. Adriene Gregg plays violin on "The color blue". Edgars Legzdins also plays synths and zippidy zappidies through out the "Blue Room Sessions" & guitar on "Who Gets to Say". Feedback ambiance on "Demons Dancing" by Danny Ong. Stephanie Lee (violin) on "Heat of the Night". Arie Levy (chelo) on "Heat of the Night". David Wolf ("Demons Dancing" remix), Jarret Spiegel ("Demons Dancing" remix), This record was Mastered by Tim Sandusky at Studio Ballistico. EEP Album cover photographer: Eduardo Lino Costa
RECENT RANTS AND RAVES:
“entrancing mix of organic and electronic sounds.” – Jim Derogatis, Chicago Sun-Times.
"For those who are disappointed that they haven’t received any musical mail from the Postal Service recently, Pretty Good Dance Moves are here to silence your longing." - SPIN.COM
“. . .comes off like a roller-coaster ride; the bass line twists and turns with each verse while the vocals are stuck in its wake.” -Buzznet
“great music for dancing by yourself, even when you’re dancing with the masses.” -3Hive
“The band uses a variety of electronic synth noise makers, drum machines, and guitars to create an indie brand of electronica that is hard to discredit. Their debut release, PGDM EP, will most definitely land the band a lucrative record deal and critical appraisal.” –Static Multimedia
“I especially appreciate the charming vocal interplay between Jimmy and Genevieve Schatz of Company of Thieves. . .” –Chicago Reader
“Glossy electro-pop has never been as endearing as the kind played by this Chicago-Brooklyn trio who infuse the sliver beats and sparkle on their debut EP with human depth and quality pop hooks.” –Daily Herald
“ ‘State of Mind’ would comfortably be at home in dance clubs across America, and ‘Demons Dancing’ makes you push harder on the stationary bicycle at the gym, perhaps propelling you to a new level of cardio greatness in the process.” –Ice Cream Man
“Pretty Good Dance Moves are anything but boring. And that’s high praise coming from me for an electronica EP.” – Berkeley Place
“Entertaining new electropop” –Comfort Music
"What ever happened to music that transfixed your mind with hypnotic rhythms, vibrant synths, and enchanting vocals, all while capturing your body with its pulsating bass beats? The modern age fix: Pretty Good Dance Moves.
-UR Chicago
“Groovy electronica that reminds me of a mix of ‘Brazilian Girls’ meets ‘The Postal Service’ ” –Audio Drums
"They have Pretty Good excellent vocal interaction in their music, all-in-all, they are much better than just, well...Pretty Good!" - Local Vertical
"Brooklyn's Pretty Good Dance Moves have a terrible name, but make some beautiful moody electro-pop on tunes like “Demons Dancing.” - Time Out Chicago
"offers an enticing blend of organic and synthetic instruments, fused together by catchy musical phrases and intricate layering." - Playback St. Louis
"PGDM melds video game blips and beeps with skittish drums" - Chicago Tribune
"fine ingredients of an electric style of pop music with the charming male/female vocal waltz - a pretty good dance move within itself." - I guess I'm floating
"Genevieve Schatz provides half of the often-employed boy/girl vocals, assisting in the simultaneously painful and enjoyable dissection of a failed relationship." - KEXP
"PGDM seem to be more fun, like something you could listen to any day of the week as opposed to while in a certain mood." - hotbiscuits
"play some nice synth-electro-indie, pretty damn good." - All along the waterfall
'Dance Moves' sound like the cooler siblings of LCD Soundsystem, spending more time trying to escape the city than make it a home"- The Mix tape Podcast
"Their dreamy electro-pop reminds me of a loungier Postal Service" - BBQRobotChicken.com
"Genevieves voice is electric on every track that I have from this group, and honestly one of the finest in pop music today" - What to wear during an orange alert
Instruments used: Multimoog, minimoog, mellotron, Hohner pianet, Roland
Electribe drum machine, Fender Rhodes, Korg ms200, vibraphone, novation,
violin, optigan, and Les Paul custom guitar.
“YOU'VE GOT PRETTY GOOD DANCE MOVES AND WHITE CONVERSE SHOES.”
The mistake you may make in first listening to this e.p. is that it is a collection of catchy, upbeat songs. You are not incorrect in thinking that, but the Pretty Good Dance Moves e.p. is vastly deeper than what appears on the surface. If you were to pick out one song you’d no doubt dig its appealing beats and attractive male and female vocals. You’d realize that this is an electronic band that uses computers as little as possible- they are able to incorporate acoustic elements like the violin, pianet, and xylophone into the mix without anything sounding out of place.
On your subsequent listens, however, you’ll start to realize that this album is far more profound than you originally thought. You’ll start to listen for the meaning behind the music, and you’ll start to get a truer sense of this album. At its essence, this e.p. depicts the stages of grief associated with losing the person closest to you through a heart-rending break up. This album threads aggression, anger, and denial throughout to mask a deeper sense of despair underneath the brave words. On your fourth and fifth time through, you’ll begin to associate with the songwriter, feeling what he’s feeling as the album progresses through anger, denial, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. You realize the genius of the song placement and you are hooked, totally along for the ride that is Pretty Good Dance Moves.
The album commences with the charismatic titular track P.G.D.M. The repetitive key phrase “I will never understand” puts into words the essence of this album- the inability to process tragedy. The passive aggressiveness of the lyrics reflects the beginning stages of grief – denial and anger. “You say that I need changing to be more like you, so I’m getting rid of everyone – starting with you” shows the writer spitefully distancing himself from his lover and his problems. The haunting Demons Dancing brings us into the bargaining phase. The chorus “come on and dance with me, we’ll shed our demons dancing,” implores the lost one to forget what has happened and come out to play. Ghostly background vocals evoke echoes of what is lost by bringing up childhood memories, trying to get back to when things were right before growing up and heartbreak entered their lives.
60632 progresses seamlessly into the protagonist thinking back on what went wrong and reflecting on how messed up this is going to be: “waiting so long that we forgot the song, we should know how it goes.” Still slightly in denial and angry at times, he is also coming into realization and the depression that it brings. Here continues the thread that is seen throughout the album of repetition, trying to cope, hoping that the repetition will bring a sense of clarity to the tragedy of confusion and doubt. State of Mind has us looking back on the problems that made it not work out– “I’ve always been a bit insane, there was no need for cocaine” and coming into the accepting that it may be time to move on. Slightly up-tempo beats create a feeling of urgency fueled by the desperate attempts to lash out at the person who is the cause of the pain. Circling, repeating lyrics recreate the mindset of trying to understand and accept what has happened.
With the final track The Color Blue we reach the relief of acceptance. The beautiful harmonies intertwined with the plucking of a mandolin string bring us the feeling of calm that comes with surrendering to the situation. The regret, longing, and despair are displayed in the back and forth male/female discourse. The where do we go from here feeling of “tell me what happens now” exhibits the relatable feeling of knowing you can’t go on but must somehow get past this relationship that was incredibly great, but totally fucked up. The album finishes with the female vocals screaming, “I’m over it” in a desperate attempt to sound confident but underneath it seems like she’s just trying to convince herself. The confused mixing of swirly affects and schizophrenic, staccato beats echoes the confused feelings expressed by the lyrics, ranging from confident and upbeat to desperate and lost.
These songs all blend together beautifully. This is not a first attempt e.p. by first-time band members, the deceptive simplicity of this album belies their talent – every element here is polished. Pretty Good Dance Moves are a talented group of musicians who, while starting a new venture with this e.p., have already accomplished a huge feat by making this beautiful album.
ARTIST: PRETTY GOOD DANCE MOVES
MUSIC VIDEO: DEMONS DANCING
STARRING: KRISTEN SCHAAL & NICHOLAS GAZIN
ARTIST: PRETTY GOOD DANCE MOVES
MUSIC VIDEO: THE COLOR BLUE
ARTIST: PRETTY GOOD DANCE MOVES
MUSIC VIDEO: P.G.D.M
ARTIST: PRETTY GOOD DANCE MOVES
MUSIC VIDEO: WHO GETS TO SAY
BEAT STREETS VS. PRETTY GOOD DANCE MOVES (MASH UP VIDEO)
awe.... how sweet... dont worry u will see me again when u guys come back...i am a piece of furniture @ jester...gonna b there 4ever...lol...till then keep on dancin...lol.. take care..
when are yall going to actually sell the pretty good dance moves CD?i keep showing people the music and they LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! ahhhhh you guys are awesome!
Yo lets make this huge! We have the power. Do it. We release a new single this nite too. Goin' gold baby. You guys are rad... I'm adding you to my page.