We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Alphabet City

by Pretend Collective

supported by
attitude_devant
attitude_devant thumbnail
/

about

An archetypal metropolis glowing above the alfalfa fields on the horizon as the daylight fades--this is Alphabet City. It's the place we imagine when we dream of better things for ourselves and those we love. This song is a sweet, scattered invitation to seize the moment before it's too late.

Animator Vincent Alexander places Pretend Collective's esoteric lyrical imagery onto a blank page. He then invites us onto that page and into the living world of the Alpha Man himself, a hapless scarecrow and the crow he is charged with scaring. With artful nuance and in no time at all, these adversaries bond before our eyes, tying their journey together with the arc of the lyric and the melody. There is a poignant goodbye on the farm, a cold, lonely chapter in the big city, and a satisfying reunion before the credits roll. The story features the artist as he invents it, and our two heroes share the spotlight with their creator.

lyrics

i crouch and plant alfalfa sprouts
i’m the alpha man, and man I’m on the outs
outside of town, that merry-go-round is going round and round
and the clouds throw a shadow down
on a hometown hero face-down on the playground

alphabet city is twinkling and singing
will you come on down and dance
this is our only chance
alphabet city, I bet you look pretty
will you come on down and dance while you still can
and while I’m still the alpha man

miss heather garden, heavy-hearted, begging pardon
plays her hand of spades
she wields the rake and feeling faint she lays the blame on me
she’s a season and i’m the same
on the first of May as I am on new year’s day

alphabet city is twinkling and singing
will you come on down and dance
this is our only chance
alphabet city, I bet you look pretty
will you come on down and dance while you still can
and while I’m still the alpha man

credits

released August 15, 2019
Alphabet City
by Pretend Collective
video concept, animation and direction by Vincent Alexander
The Giving Groove

Musical Personnel:
guitars by Aurelien Budynek
guitars by Tom Deis
OP-1 synth by Jaron Olevsky
bass by Bryan Percivall
vocals, drums, percussion, additional piano by Mike Reilly
piano and Fender Rhodes by David Streim
co-produced by Matt Teacher, Mike Lawson, and Mike Reilly
mixed and engineered by Matt Teacher and Mike Lawson
mastered by Fred Kevorkian
words and music by Mike Reilly

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Pretend Collective image

Pretend Collective New York, New York

“Cornered formulas morphing crackling day-tripping narratives into thoughtful yacht-rock holidays ...electric rodeos and paisley parades in work-week secrets and slow-burning concerns. Rallying ballads dipped in hazy persuasions...sprinkles slightly sinister melancholy into time-warped stories supported by cavorting metaphors and sneaky clichés.” –John Noyd/MAXIMUM INK ... more

contact / help

Contact Pretend Collective

Streaming and
Download help

Report this track or account

If you like Pretend Collective, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Saxophonist Isaiah Collier chats about his new LP and the influence of Pharoah Sanders.
listen now