Alphabet Army

Bio:

“Elastic synth-pop ditties … Alphabet Army delivers its imaginative, hyperactive fusion with little irony. These kids want you to dance and sing along, not slouch and scowl.” – Philadelphia Weekly

MEET ALPHABET ARMY:
THE WORLD’S FIRST BAND OF TOYS THAT BECAME BOYS

Yes, that is correct: They used to be puppets and now they’re real people. One was a blue-haired twiggy monkey who smiled a lot. The other was a furry orange beast who bobbed around quite a bit. After wishing very hard for very long, their wish came true: They are now real people in an actual synthrock band that makes people dance!!!

Five years in the making and eagerly anticipated by fans of their ultra-bouncy live shows, Alphabet Army’s People Are Alone And Happy marks a slick, sparkling debut from the Philadelphia-New York duo.

Alphabet Army crafts fleshed-out electronic pop that’s every bit as influenced by current dance music as the New Wave gems of the ’80s. Day-Glo synths and sharp guitars jump out over rubbery beats as the boys sing charming, harmony-laden odes to monsters, baby birds, and a girl nicknamed “Indie Anna” (as heard on the album’s clever and catchy single, “Anna ‘Indie Anna’ Indiana”).

"Oh yeah, we know all The Muppets," Alphabet Army recalls in addressing some key influences, which also include Daft Punk and Queen. "Our older brothers went to school with them and their friends. We grew up really admiring those kids. It’s why we learned guitar and piano, it’s why we started a band, and it’s why we took jobs working as newspaper reporters that time we solved the case of the stolen jewels. In any case, sure The Mupps have some great vocal harmonies and catchy choruses, but they never really embraced synthesizers, drum machines, filters, or distorted guitar riffs as part of it. We’re here to take it all to the next level and incorporate the harmonic strengths of those classic Muppet jams alongside the riffs or production of house music.”

Released via the band’s own label, Very Victorian (and written, performed, produced, and mixed entirely by Alphabet Army), the album is a sweet treat that’s as sonically layered as it is simply fun, and as referential as it is original.

While the name Alphabet Army places the band at the top of the alphabet (in contrast to the less favored “Organized Defense Force of Letters Used to Represent Language”), thanks to People Are Alone And Happy they’ll soon shoot to the top of your playlist as well!

Member Since:

July 27, 2004

Members:

the blue one- vox, programming, electric guitar, synths, samples
the orange one- vox, programming, acoustic/electric guitars, synths


..

Influences:

Electric Light Orchestra / Daft Punk / The Grays / Grandaddy / New Order / Weezer / Simian / Air / That Dog / Cassius / Phoenix / Crydamoure / The Muppets

Sounds Like:

Hot Chip, Ratatat, Daft Punk, Grandaddy, Queen, The Muppets

Record Label:

Very Victorian Records