Music
Press
"It's the layering of HBA's sound that really makes it work, from Amy's soaring, flurrying vocals to her pounding, melodic key work, from Miles Cramer's vigorous drums to Dillon's speedy bass lines." - Performer Magazine
"Titular lead Amy Smith has a full-bodied set of brassy pipes which earn comparisons for their Regina Spektor theatrics. On standout single, "This Song is About Monsters," Smith's coquettish voice bends around a rollicking beat-it's stuff capable of rousing even the most distracted beer guzzling patron out of his alcohol-induced stupor." - The Nashville Scene
"This bourgeoning indie pop band who, after this release, hopefully won’t be unsigned for much longer, Happy Birthday Amy has come through with a full length masterpiece that boasts an captivating style of indie pop that manages to be undeniably sophisticated and still incredibly fun." - Nashville Edge
"Eye-level from a squatting position in the girl's bathroom, a boozy fan had scrawled, "Happy Birthday Amy is going to take over Nashville." The writing on the wall proved to be more than drunk speculation, as the trio churned out jaunty, often Regina Spektor-esque tunes for a seated and attentive crowd, a rare animal at this venue." - The Nashville Scene
Discography
"Sue" - LP, released March 2008
Photos
Bio
Since January 2006, Happy Birthday Amy has been hard at work making progressive indie pop in the Nashville area. Fronted by vocalist/keyboardist, Amy Smith, Happy Birthday Amy is a trio with Dillon Smith on bass and various other instruments and Miles Cramer on the drums. Often sharing the stage with others, Happy Birthday Amy invites a revolving door of horn players to their world whom they affectionately refer to as , The Dirty Brassholes. Happy Birthday Amy strives with every live show to sound more professional, but also to give audiences what they crave: great stage presence!
In March of this year the band self-released their first full-length record entitled "Sue." The record is a journey from start to finish and while this isn't a concept record so to speak, the songs definitely congeal and have a great sense of connection both lyrically and musically. "Sue" contains a wide variety of indie pop songs that are arranged and produced mainly by two of the band's members; husband and wife, Dillon and Amy Smith. Dillon, a multi-instrumentalist, composes skilled string and horn arrangements heard especially on tracks "The Groom", "Disaster", and "When You Say", the closing track. After making the record, Happy Birthday Amy adopted the term, "chamber pop," to denote the fullness of their arrangements but also dictate that this the songs are at anyone's grasp. The band hopes over all that their music can be described as sophisticated without being contrived, full and beautiful, complicated and complex and a work of real musical progression.
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