The Impossible Shapes

From corner to corner of their dew spritzered discography, now five full-lengths deep, The Impossible Shapes of Indiana have electrically projected what stands as a direct and feverish summoning on the late 60s sugar-sandoz-lick of the pop-folk format. Whilst 2005's critically pumped Horus initiated escalation into a milkwood tapestry of a man vs. earth vs. spirit conceptual acorn, Tum, the 300 edition LP issued just months before is their most thoroughly realized confirmation of man as freedom as seed. Principal songwriters Chris Barth & Aaron Deer nefariously split that nut into mighty gush, fattening this garage cum psyche-chamber session enough to peel back grooves from the cornerstones of Shirley Collins' Folkways side False True Lovers to Bobb Trimble's Harvest of Dreams.

Formed in 1998 the Shapes -- Barth (guitar, vocalist), Deer (organ, bass) Jason Groth (guitar) and Mark Rice (drums) -- have kept a profoundly articulate sense of classic song/dream structure whether they are billowing in drenched multi-tacked gauze like Indianapolis forefathers Zerfas or snarled in amp-buzz annihilation of power-quartet stage performances.

The title of The Impossible Shapes seventh proper full length is a sigil. A sigil is often used in magic and can take an aural form. This particular sigil is a potent symbol of desire, but, this sigil is unpronounceable - so you can call the album "The Impossible Shapes". The Impossible Shapes have been merrily musickmaking for a decade now. With this release the band has recorded songs which were flushed out over many live performances over many tours all across the globe. Although the individual songs vary quite a bit, this is perhaps the band's most cohesive album to date. This album is their pinnacle song mound that could have been issued by Zapple, if times had been different. At the root, these four long-hairs are a pop band -- kinda like how Byrds became a meta group -- who've been strained through British folk as well as the whole post/beat/mystic literate gob.

The Impossible Shapes are a band that Charles Aaron of SPIN Magazine describes as "Indie rockers who trip nervously like Love and muse enigmatically like Pavement. Few bands daydream and flake out with such a mature sense of purpose". This self titled album is perhaps the Bloomington, Indiana band's best manifestation of this sentiment. And The Impossible Shapes want to show you. Highly Recommended!


The Impossible Shapes - Hey!
The Impossible Shapes - Let The People Build What They Will (mov)
The Impossible Shapes - Free Tracks @ eMusic
The Impossible Shapes - Daytrotter Sessions
The Impossible Shapes @ MySpace


The Impossible Shapes - Let The People Build What They Will



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