Multiple releases 21 August – 16 October 2020
United Shapes comprise Drew Cave and Joseph Devens who met in Grade School, were best friends through High School and College, and decided at the end of College in 2004 to form a band, “because neither of us knew how music worked. Also, we were remarkably lazy”. So, if eight “demo” albums 2004-2014 is lazy, followed by a two compilations in 2018 and 2020 is lazy, then what happens when they become prolific?
Self-described as “like They Might Be Giants”, scrolling through their Bandcamp page and needle-dropping on “False Point” (2004), “Terrible Two” (2007), “Calculations” (2010), “Gentle Tour” (2012), and their compilations “Besides” (2018) and “Luxury Collection” (May 2020) has the guys modelling themselves on The Two Johns. There is no one genre from this Austin TX duo, like The Johns, and because they’re all termed as demos, they are as often lo fi as TMBG (I go back to their recording of The Edison Museum made on an Edison tube) as hi-fi (as per the New Yorkers’ current Disney releases). Absolutely love their version of Bowie’s Ashes to Ashes!!
So after sixteen years and ten demo releases, the guys thought it was time to be all adult about their craft and release, over a period of three months, three grown-up productions in “Peppermint” (August), “Fractalvision” (September), and their long-awaited actual-debut fully-and-properly-produced DEBUT ALBUM!! “Compound Shapes” debut album, in October, for proper industry consumption.
The aperitif, “Peppermint” has been available for ten days now, and comes with a (gory) “official video” as bizarre as the track itself. The guys’ visage, both on this video and in their current icon, is TMBG but I wouldn’t go as far as to say they are another TMBG as to say they are another contribution to the genre that John and John created when they started their career way, way back in 1982.
“Fractalvision” is – can I say “bizarre” again? Its cleaner production hints at what we have experienced at the fully-produced end of their spectrum thus far, and is a prelude to the album “Compound Shapes”.
And so to the album. Fractalvision and Peppermint open the account, followed by Buttercup; is that a melotron? Or a fairground organ? They’re already expanding the instrumentation with two guitars, keyboards and other effects, electric and acoustic bass, drums, and a metronome, but its clarity is the selling point. I also get a sense of what inspired Ben Lee with his break-through Cigarettes and Disease singles of the late 1990s / early 2000s.
The opening of Pushbutton has Yosemite Sam imitating The Donald (was this intentional?!). More of a stripped-back straight-ahead full-rockin’ band sound with an odd Telegram Sam-type chant (I know that wasn’t what they were saying but that is the rhythm / melody I picked up) and Metal Guru tilt at the end.
If you were expecting one genre or style of music from this record, you haven’t been paying attention!
Moonlighting has a Casio-electric keyboard beat-keeper driving a calypso/Jamaica rum-sipping Ipanema “tribute” under a Gordon Gano-styled vocal that builds to a full choral effect while the sun sets! The rock returns, albeit slower, for Roundtable, with an Alan Parsons Project / Eye In The Sky styled vocal.
I am totally loving this record! More! More!!
Nightlife is what happens when an untuned honky-tonk upright piano is kidnapped by a drunken punter who hasn’t had enough of their night out! I have seen these “Play Me!” invitations in public locations (I think there’s a couple at LAX). But the song is quickly saved in post, to try to make it more “respectable”. But how respectable can a drunken night out be, even after massive backpeddling (or cleaning-up)?! Everyone had a great time! Brainwash was probably made in that same session which wasn’t rescued as successfully as Nightlife!
Somewhere brings back the melotron / fairground organ / keyboard effect and the cleaner production with a reprise of the Gordon Gano vocal style and, this time, some choral vocal overlays for backing. As the song progresses, we’re introduced to a Naked Eyes’ keyboard / bass effect and a Also sprach Zarathustra / Toccata And Fugue organ-rumble to close.
Masterpiece promises to be exactly that, with the return of the Casio, full band and, while he’s here we may as well retain him, Gano!
Tractorbeam drags you in with the old Galaga opening-theme, which keeps reappearing throughout, and keeps dragging, and dragging, just as a tractor beam would, whether that is Galaga, Orville, Galaxy Quest, etc. Those poor people.
And the beam merges with the final track, Clockwise, and that honky-tonk piano they have employed so well (and obviously a fixture from their earlier works!).
What a great collection. As varied and bizarre (that word again, I know, but it is so all-encompassing!) as we have seen through their vast collection of demos. United Shapes – I am a huge fan already, and you will be too! A dozen tracks, each a little longer than your typical-TMBG creation- just more to enjoy!