Pretty Good Dance Moves
Encyclopedia
Pretty Good Dance Moves is an indietronic band from Chicago
, Illinois
in the United States
. Their sound, sometimes also labeled as electropop, draws considerable influence from 80s new wave
, electronic
, pop
and indie rock
genres.
when Aaron and Jimmy met while bartending together in Chicago
.
Pretty Good Dance Moves's first songs were "P.G.D.M" and "Demons Dancing" which were recorded between June
and September of 2007
. Jimmy and Aaron were looking for some female presence in the group and called up Genevieve Schatz from Chicago band Company of Thieves and started to create music together. Her vocal performances are featured on the earliest songs Pretty Good Dance Moves produced, which were written and recorded between January
and May of 2007
. Collaborations would remain an integral part of the group's creative process.
music critic and former Rolling Stone editor, Jim DeRogatis
. After a favorable review in Chicago's biggest daily, the band got noticed by Chicago music goers and music journalists from publications like SPIN, Time Out Magazine, the Chicago Tribune
and influential music blogs
.
Pretty Good Dance Moves went on to win Famecast's award for best electronic video, which included $10,000 in award money and features in Billboard magazine.
In 2011, Pretty Good Dance Moves signed to Mad Dragon Records to release their first full-length entitled "Limo". The LP is set to release on Feb 7, 2012 and features Sabina Sciubba of Brazilian Girls
on vocals.
famously known from HBO series Flight of the Conchords
in the making of the music video
for the song "Demons Dancing" and America's Next Top Model
runner up Shandy Sullivan
in the making of the music video for "In the Heat of the Night". The band is currently working on collaborations with members of Chicago indie rock group The Changes
and Chicago electronic rock band Walter Meego
.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Their sound, sometimes also labeled as electropop, draws considerable influence from 80s new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
, electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
genres.
Genesis of the Group
Pretty Good Dance Moves started in 2007 in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
when Aaron and Jimmy met while bartending together in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
Pretty Good Dance Moves's first songs were "P.G.D.M" and "Demons Dancing" which were recorded between June
June 2007
June 2007 is the sixth month of that year. It began on a Friday and 30 days later, ended on a Saturday.-International holidays:* June 4 – Queen's Official Birthday * June 5 – Constitution Day...
and September of 2007
September 2007
September 2007 is the ninth month of that year. It began on a Saturday and 30 days later, ended on a Sunday.-International holidays:* September 3 – Labor Day * September 4 – Krishna Janmaashtami...
. Jimmy and Aaron were looking for some female presence in the group and called up Genevieve Schatz from Chicago band Company of Thieves and started to create music together. Her vocal performances are featured on the earliest songs Pretty Good Dance Moves produced, which were written and recorded between January
January 2007
January 2007 was the first month of that year. It began on a Monday and 31 days later, ended on a Wednesday.-International holidays:* January 1 – New Year's Day* January 1 – Independence Day and * January 1 – Flag Day...
and May of 2007
May 2007
May 2007 was the fifth month of that year. It began on a Tuesday and 30 days later, ended on a Thursday.-International holidays:* May 1 – May Day * May 1 – Labour Day * May 1 – Maharashtra State Day * May 1 – Labour Day...
. Collaborations would remain an integral part of the group's creative process.
Early Acclaim
Pretty Good Dance Moves self-released, self-titled EP struck a chord with the influential Chicago Sun-TimesChicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
music critic and former Rolling Stone editor, Jim DeRogatis
Jim DeRogatis
James "Jim" DeRogatis is an American music critic and co-host of Sound Opinions. DeRogatis has written articles for magazines such as Spin, Guitar World and Modern Drummer, and for fifteen years was the pop music critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.He joined Columbia College Chicago as a full-time...
. After a favorable review in Chicago's biggest daily, the band got noticed by Chicago music goers and music journalists from publications like SPIN, Time Out Magazine, the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
and influential music blogs
MP3 blog
An MP3 blog is a type of blog in which the creator makes music files, normally in the MP3 format, available for download. They are also known as "musicblogs" or "audioblogs". MP3 blogs have become increasingly popular since 2003...
.
Pretty Good Dance Moves went on to win Famecast's award for best electronic video, which included $10,000 in award money and features in Billboard magazine.
In 2011, Pretty Good Dance Moves signed to Mad Dragon Records to release their first full-length entitled "Limo". The LP is set to release on Feb 7, 2012 and features Sabina Sciubba of Brazilian Girls
Brazilian Girls
Brazilian Girls was a band from New York City known for their eclectic blend of electronic dance music with musical styles as diverse as tango, chanson, house, reggae and lounge. None of the members are actually from Brazil and the only female in the band is Sabina Sciubba. Other members include...
on vocals.
Style
The music magazine SPIN Magazine has compared their earliest songs to indietronic band The Postal Service. Pretty Good Dance Moves EP has also been compared to James Murphy's house music project LCD Soundsystem, UK downtempo group Zero 7 and the Brazilian Girls.Collaborations
Pretty Good Dance Moves has collaborated with Genevieve Schatz from Chicago band Company of Thieves, American comedienne Kristen SchaalKristen Schaal
Kristen Schaal is an American actress, writer and comedienne, best known for her role as Mel in the HBO series Flight of the Conchords, as Louise in Bob's Burgers and as a contributor on The Daily Show.-Early life:...
famously known from HBO series Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords (TV series)
Flight of the Conchords is an American television comedy series that debuted on HBO on June 17, 2007. The show follows the adventures of Flight of the Conchords, a two-man band from New Zealand, as its members seek fame and success in New York City. The show stars the real-life duo, Jemaine Clement...
in the making of the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song "Demons Dancing" and America's Next Top Model
America's Next Top Model
America's Next Top Model is a reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of America's Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry....
runner up Shandy Sullivan
America's Next Top Model, Cycle 2
America's Next Top Model Cycle 2, which premiered on January 13, 2004, was the second season of America's Next Top Model hosted by supermodel Tyra Banks, which aims to find the next top fashion model. The cycle's catch-phrase was "They are all gorgeous, but only one has what it takes".This was the...
in the making of the music video for "In the Heat of the Night". The band is currently working on collaborations with members of Chicago indie rock group The Changes
The Changes (band)
The Changes is a Chicago rock band formed in March 2002.Their music has been described as filtering in the new wave end of rock, with its dreamy jangle and jazzy rhythms. The band's members are Darren Spitzer , Rob Kallick , David Rothblatt and Jonny Basofin...
and Chicago electronic rock band Walter Meego
Walter Meego
Walter Meego is a band from Chicago, Illinois. The bandmembers now live in Los Angeles, California.- History :Walter Meego formed in 2004 by Justin Sconza , Pat Pellegrini, and Colin Yarck in the basement of Pellegrini's house. Sadly in 2005, Patrick Pellegrini quit the band to pursue a more...
.