Bent Shapes – 86’d in ’03 (Stream)

by Steven Spoerl

bshapes

Bent Shapes are a Massachusetts-based duo made up of Andrew Sadoway and Ben Potrykus, who, as of two weeks ago, are directly responsible for one of 2014’s finest powerpop songs this side of Vertical Scratchers. The song in question is called “86’d in ’03” and it serves as the title track for a fascinating lathecut plexi disc release, courtesy of People In A Position to Know Records (a niche label that specializes in limited run releases).  On “86’d in ’03”, Sadoway holds down the rhythm section duties while Potrykus flies off the handle with a gleeful abandon on guitar/vocal duties. It’s a jaunty bit of perfectly-timed summer music that builds momentum as it goes and doesn’t shy away from a handful of classic influences, giving the line “Self-aware but not too cool to care” a hefty bit of additional meaning.

From start to finish, not a single moment of the song’s two minutes are wasted. Full of nuance, verve, and, yes, self-awareness, it’s a clever bit of irreverence that feels like a perfect antidote to a ceaseless wave of increasingly apathetic music that’s gaining popularity and acclaim at an alarming rate. Everything here brims with an unfiltered passion and, more importantly, everything the band tries out through the song’s short run time doesn’t just click- it snaps into place with an emphatic force. While the song does recall a wide variety of bands, it’s still very clearly Bent Shapes and if this is the direction they’re heading, then a lot of people aren’t going to want to hesitate in giving them their full attention.

Listen to “86’d in ’03” below and order it directly from PIAPTK Records here before they disappear for good.