{{Short description|American indie rock band (2005–2020)}} {{use list-defined references|date=August 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | background = group_or_band | image = | image_size = | image_upright = | landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --> | alt = | caption = | alias = | origin = Brooklyn, New York, US<ref name="billboard-stickaround" /> | genre = {{hlist|Indie rock|slacker rock}} | years_active = {{Start date|2005}}–{{End date|2020}} | label = Barsuk | current_members = * Andrew Wolfson * Quinn McGovern * Tom D'Agustino * Zach Slater | past_members = | website = {{url|activebirdcommunityband.com}} }} '''Active Bird Community''' (also known as '''ABC''') was an indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York. Forming in 2005, when its members at the time were 11 years old, they released four albums from 2012 to 2018. They disbanded in 2020. Their music has been compared to artists such as The Crocketts and Radiohead.
== Career == Active Bird Community, often abbreviated as ABC,<ref name="tidal-firsts" /> formed in 2005,<ref name="billboard-stickaround" /> when its members at the time – Tom D'Agustino, Andrew Wolfs, and Zach Slater – were 11 years old.<ref name="tidal-firsts" /><ref name="clash-sweaty" /> Their drummer, Quinn McGovern, joined during college when a previous drummer left the band; he was introduced to the band in his freshman year after the crowd shouted for Active Bird Community during his own band's concert.<ref name="tidal-firsts" />
ABC released their first album, ''Magnum Opus'', in 2012.<ref name="filter-amends" /> In 2015, ABC released the album ''I've Been Going Swimming''.<ref name="lobf-amends" /> A single from the album, "Pick Me Apart", received a music video in July 2016.<ref name="flood-pick" /> The band's next album, ''Stick Around'', was released in 2017.<ref name="billboard-stickaround" /><ref name="lobf-amends" />
After signing to Barsuk,<ref name="popmatters-amends" /> ABC released the album ''Amends'' on October 26, 2018.<ref name="lobf-amends" /> It received mostly positive reviews from magazines such as ''The Line of Best Fit'',<ref name="lobf-amends" /> ''PopMatters'',<ref name="popmatters-amends" /> and ''Loud and Quiet''.<ref name="laq-amends" />
ABC disbanded in 2020, after running a fundraiser for a follow-up to ''Amends''. The money was used to fund D'Agustino's first solo EP, ''Homeschool: Book I'', under the name Homeschool.<ref name="paste-homeschool" /> According to DJ Connor of ''Ones to Watch'', D'Agustino was "happily unhappy" with their<ref name="outfront-dagustino" /> time in ABC.<ref name="onestowatch-homeschool" />
== Musical style == ABC was an indie rock band,<ref name="flood-pick" /><ref name="tidal-firsts" /> although they have also been described as indie pop.<ref name="thealt-amends" /> ''PopMatters'' described ''Amends'' as sounding like the alternative rock bands of the mid-1990s.<ref name="popmatters-amends" /> Their music is considered punk by ''Billboard'', who called ''Stick Around'' "a scrappy punk slugfest" and compared it to "a punk version of Vitamin C's 'Graduation (Friends Forever)'".<ref name="billboard-stickaround" /> ''Clash'' described "Sweaty Lake" as slacker rock and guitar pop.<ref name="clash-sweaty" /> ABC's overall sound has been compared to The Crocketts,<ref name="laq-amends" /> Manchester Orchestra,<ref name="lobf-amends" /> Radiohead,<ref name="thealt-amends" /> and Car Seat Headrest.<ref name="laq-amends" />
== Members == * Andrew Wolfs (vocals, guitar)<ref name="tidal-firsts" /> * Quinn McGovern (drums)<ref name="tidal-firsts" /> * Tom D'Agustino (vocals, guitar)<ref name="tidal-firsts" /> * Zach Slater (bass)<ref name="tidal-firsts" />
== Discography == Adapted from Spotify and Bandcamp.<ref name="spotify" /><ref name="bandcamp" />
=== Albums === * ''Magnum Opus'' (2012) * ''I've Been Going Swimming'' (2015) * ''Stick Around'' (2017) * ''Amends'' (2018)
=== EPs === * ''Drive Like Your Kids Live Here'' (2012) * ''Active Bird Community'' (2015) * ''Active Bird Community on Audiotree Live'' (2017)
=== Singles === * "Mooncalf" (2014) * "After Party" (2014) * "Astrophobia / Eidolon" (2014) * "Pick Me Apart" (2015) * "Longport" (2016) * "Qb Sneak" (2016) * "Newbie" (2016) * "Dead Legs" (2016) * "Spend the Night" (2018) * "Somewhere" (2019, with Samia)
== References == <references>
<ref name="filter-amends">{{cite web |last1=Munoz |first1=Elizabeth |title=Descubriendo las influencias de 'Amends', lo nuevo de Active Bird Community |url=https://filtermexico.com/2018/09/14/descubriendo-las-influencias-de-amends-lo-nuevo-de-active-bird-community/ |website=FILTER México |access-date=August 7, 2025 |language=es |date=September 14, 2018}}</ref>
<ref name="tidal-firsts">{{cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Paley |title=Firsts: Active Bird Community |url=https://tidal.com/magazine/article/firsts-active-bird-community/1-41603 |website=Tidal |access-date=August 6, 2025 |language=en |date=August 16, 2017}}</ref>
<ref name="clash-sweaty">{{cite magazine |last1=Murray |first1=Robin |title=Active Bird Community Channel Slacker Rock Thrills On 'Sweaty Lake' |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/music-videos/active-bird-community-channel-slacker-rock-thrills-on-sweaty-lake/ |magazine=Clash |access-date=August 6, 2025 |language=en |date=September 12, 2018}}</ref>
<ref name="flood-pick">{{cite magazine |last1=Oppliger |first1=Sarabeth |title=PREMIERE: Active Bird Community Invite You to "Pick Me Apart" in New Video |url=https://floodmagazine.com/38221/premiere-active-bird-community-invite-you-to-pick-me-apart-in-new-video/ |access-date=August 6, 2025 |magazine=Flood |date=July 19, 2016 |language=en}}</ref>
<ref name="thealt-amends">{{cite web |last1=Knoll |first1=Sarah |title=Album Review: Active Bird Community – "Amends" |url=https://www.getalternative.com/album-review-active-bird-community-amends/ |website=The Alternative |access-date=August 6, 2025 |language=en |date=October 1, 2018}}</ref>
<ref name="laq-amends">{{cite web |last1=Auton |first1=James |title=Active Bird Community - Amends - Album review |url=https://www.loudandquiet.com/reviews/active-bird-community-amends/ |website=Loud and Quiet |access-date=August 6, 2025 |date=October 24, 2018}}</ref>
<ref name="billboard-stickaround">{{cite magazine |last1=Payne |first1=Chris |title=Brooklyn Punks/Childhood Pals Active Bird Community Joyously Stumble Into Adulthood: Album Premiere |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/active-bird-community-album-premiere-interview-stream-stick-around-7662695/ |access-date=August 6, 2025 |magazine=Billboard |date=January 24, 2017 |language=en}}</ref>
<ref name="popmatters-amends">{{cite web |last1=Conaton |first1=Chris |title=Active Bird Community Precisely Recreate Mid-'90s Alt-rock on 'Amends' |url=https://www.popmatters.com/active-bird-community-amends-2603466966.html |website=PopMatters |access-date=August 7, 2025 |language=en |date=September 11, 2018}}</ref>
<ref name="lobf-amends">{{cite web |last1=Lynch |first1=Ben |title=Active Bird Community lay their emotions bare on new album Amends |url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/active-bird-community-amends-album-review |website=The Line of Best Fit |access-date=August 7, 2025 |language=en |date=October 24, 2018}}</ref>
<ref name="onestowatch-homeschool">{{cite web |last1=Connor |first1=DJ |title=Homeschool Sounds Happier Than Ever in "The Strangest Thing" [Premiere] |url=https://www.onestowatch.com/en/blog/homeschool-the-strangest-thing-book-ii |website=Ones to Watch |access-date=August 6, 2025 |language=en |date=April 7, 2022}}</ref>
<ref name="paste-homeschool">{{cite magazine |last1=Gomez |first1=Jade |title=Exclusive: Homeschool Recruits Bartees Strange, Arlissa for "Smartest Man" Remix |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/homeschool/exclusive-homeschool-recruits-bartees-strange-and |access-date=August 7, 2025 |magazine=Paste Magazine |date=April 19, 2021}}</ref>
<ref name="outfront-dagustino">{{cite magazine |last1=Patterson |first1=Denny |url=https://www.outfrontmagazine.com/homeschools-tom-dagustino-releases-long-awaited-ep-just-now/ |title=Homeschool's Tom D'Agustino Releases Long-Awaited EP 'Just Now' |magazine=Out Front |date=May 19, 2023 |access-date=October 11, 2025}}</ref>
<!--please replace usages of the spotify and bandcamp refs with secondary sources if any can be found--> <ref name="spotify">{{cite web |title=Active Bird Community |url=https://open.spotify.com/artist/52atJIClJ4KZuYaIBLbNbH |website=Spotify |access-date=August 7, 2025 |language=en}}</ref> <ref name="bandcamp">{{cite web |title=Active Bird Community |url=https://activebirdcommunity.bandcamp.com/music |website=Bandcamp |access-date=August 7, 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
</references>
Category:Indie rock musical groups from New York (state) Category:Musical groups established in 2005 Category:2005 establishments in New York (state) Category:2020 disestablishments in New York (state) Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2020