Pleasant is the flagship quirky-indie-pop band of the Chapel Hill music scene, which is probably why they've been recruited to share the stage with so many great touring bands who swing through the area: Blonde Redhead, John Vanderslice, Pinback, Deerhoof, My Morning Jacket, Quasi, Mates of State, Hella, Crooked Fingers, The Clientele, and others.

Lead by singer Sean Parker's strange and dark creative vision, he and bandmates Eric Hermann, Maria Albani and Mario Gonzalez create clever, yet understated pop gems that have been entertaining Triangle music fans since 2000. With their slightly askew yet always compelling aesthetic, they've earned comparisons to Modest Mouse, The Pixies, and The Talking Heads.

Their new record was recorded with producer/engineers Zeno Gill (The Rosebuds, Portastatic, Des Ark, Schooner) and Jeff Byrd (Pinback, Spoon, Crooked Fingers). The 12-song collection is a joyful adventure through the sometimes lighthearted, sometimes Southern Gothic, world of Pleasant, complete with spacecraft-shaped mobile homes and fireflies with broken hearts. In addition to their trademark intertwining guitars, the band adds more dimension with the occasional saw, trumpet, wind wand, and xylophone. And of course Sean Parker's distinctive, playful vocals lend an adolescent charm to the songs.