Pleasant
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Pleasant

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The best kept secret in music

Press


"Left Off the Dial"


January 9, 2006


Pleasant: Awkward as a Beehive
[Pox World Empire]
Recently I have come into the good fortune of accidentally settling into an
exciting music and art-intense community. Among the many amazing bands in
the area, Pleasant are helping to give new life to what had become the
depleted soil of Chapel Hill. Since 2000 they’ve been playing in the area,
recording and fine-tuning their sound into a brand of upbeat, yet dark,
masterful pop. With the help of producer Zeno Gill (Rosebuds, Portastatic,
Des Ark, etc.) and Jeff Byrd (Spoon, Pinback, etc), they have unleashed a
beautiful, full album of twelve non-compromising tracks.

Each track, just as rich as the last, offers subtle yet sometimes jagged
back-and-forth guitar play, backdrop bass, and easy, relaxed drumming. The
focal point certainly seems to be Sean Parker’s vocals and lyrics. At times
when he leaves his disheartened croon, he has this jittery quality to his
voice, almost as though he’s taunting us; he’s letting us know that at any
moment he could switch over into that disco yelp for which he’s itching.
Though mellow and slower, the beats and bass-lines are there, waiting in the
dark to slip into a heavy disco groove on queue.

On the more serious side, Pleasant does maintain that true-to-Chapel Hill
90s sound, though the guitars are a bit more hushed. The music and even the
odd, unconventional vocal melodies (which are great) recount ghosts from the
mid-90s college scene. Make no mistake though, Pleasant is not a rehash
group caught in the glory of old.

I guess it’s hard these days to grow up as a band in the North Carolina
Triangle and hide/ignore your town’s roots. There’s always that hurtle of
“remember those days” that a town like this strives to move past. After an
area has been so fertile and overgrown, it’s hard to nurture new bands into
the time. I think Pleasant does it quite well, and there is an obvious
respect to the elders of yester-decade, but there’s an untapped and exciting
quality lying underneath.

This is definitely going into the book as one of the more pop-driven albums
of the year that I’ve loved. With each listen I’m left wishing I knew the
lyrics better, so I could join in Sean and Maria’s (bass & backing vocals)
fun. I’ll just go to their next show and pretend I know the lyrics; I’ll be
the guy on the side that is pretending to know them but for some reason,
won’t stop mouthing the wrong shapes. Yes! I will be the fool. The
pleasantly smiling fool. Viva Pox!
http://www.leftoffthedial.com/Pleasant_Awkward.htm - Chaz Martenstein


"Daily Copper"


February 2006


Like Askeleton, Portugal the Man and a small number of other indie acts springing up like independent bookstores, Chapel Hill's Pleasant demonstrates a knack for crafting quirky and memorable songs that occasionally call to mind Pavement and Mission of Burma, but only in the faintest wafts. The unusual David Byrne-goes-falsetto vocals of Sean Parker create playfulness throughout, never allowing the listener or the band itself to take the proceedings too seriously, but always allowing the band an opportunity to make a thoroughly unique statement. Doubtless Pleasant is a feast for the eyes and ears in the live arena but Awkward as a Beehive is just as good an introduction as any. – Jedd Beaudoin (2006, The Daily Copper)
http://www.copperpress.com/new/mainpage/cp3.html - Jedd Beaudoin


"ExoDuster"


January 2006


Grade: A-
As another piece of evidence that the Triangle has the best indie scene
anywhere comes this brilliant full-length from Chapel Hill's Pleasant.
Comprised of Sean Parker, Eric Hermann, Maria Albani, and Mario
Gonzalez, Pleasant offer up twelve quirky, jangly indie rock numbers
that have near perfect ingredients of catchiness, pop and tempo on
Awkward as a Beehive. Pleasant are another example of the many bands
that I missed out on while buried in that school thing. Now that I'm a
thousand miles away, I'm enviable of people catching Pleasant opening
for the big name indie touring acts. Anyway...Awkward as a Beehive is
chock-full of glorious moments, not the least of which come courtesy of
"Welcome Come In," "Fight Song," the dazzling "Lowly" and the cool wordy
"Everything Here's Gold." Many of these highlights are due to Parker's
enticing vocal cadence and intertwining guitars of Parker and Gonzalez.
If Pleasant are able to hit indie hot spots such as Athens (GA),
Chicago, Omaha and Portland, they'd be huge. Clearly, Pleasant is one of
your favorite bands that you've never heard of
yet.
http://exoduster.com/music_reviews.htm - January Music Reviews


Discography

Pleasant LP: 2001 (Self Released)

Pleasant EP: 2002 (Self Released)

Compulation Vol. 1: Songs from North Carolina 2003 (Pox World Empire).

Awkward as a Beehive (LP) 2005 Pox World Empire

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

Pleasant started playing together in 2000. They recorded and distributed their first, self titled full length in 2001. In 2002, they recorded and distributed a 4 song EP. Both cds charted on college radio stations around the U.S. Pleasant's most recent release "Awkward as a Beehive", was recorded by Zeno Gill (The Rosebuds, Des Ark) & Jeff Byrd (Pinback, Tarentel) at Pox Studios. It has been well received by college radio, charting all over the US. Pleasant have shared the stage with Blonde Redhead, Quasi, Pinback, John Vanderslice, The Clientele, Will Johnson, Annie Hayden, Mates of State, My Morning Jacket, Hella, Crooked Fingers, Fan Modine, Of Montreal, The Rosebuds, Appleseed Cast, Azure Ray, The Faint, Imperial Teen, The Gerbils & Swearing at Motorists.