Shape - Lonely Crowd
by Maarten Schiethart
published: 25 / 9 / 2015
Label:
Bass Department Records
Format: CD
intro
Italian quintet The Shape imitates the likes of Wedding Present, Beta Band and Franz Ferdimonkeys yet somehow manages to churn out a few moments of Celtic originality.
I was a little baffled by the Shape at first since bands from Italy rarely manage to leave a mark in the prospering global copycat Britpop business. Breastfed on opera and melody, an Italian band ought to know better. The Shape sound though as if Dave Mason had migrated without permission, winning perhaps the Wooden Spoon. The fact of the matter remains that the Shape's album is quite a fresh and brash escapade amongst the heaps of feeble indie memorabilia from the continent. The Shape's influences though stretch much further beyond that. They sound like they are from Glasgow having gone to Milan. Or returning from the band's native Verona. The Shape sounds best when they go Big Country with a touch of No New York Noise. If only they sang in Italian. I fail to understand why they did not dare to. The album includes plenty of moments of beauty. Che peccato.
Track Listing:-
1 Second Sun2 Vacuum Eye
3 The Swan
4 Ancient Woman
5 Sunshine
6 My God Is Mad
7 Rain
8 Brothers
9 Mind Mirror
10 Old Black River
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/theshapeofficialLabel Links:-
http://www.bassdept.com/https://www.facebook.com/Bass-Department-Records-298522956858034
https://twitter.com/BassDepartment
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7QKI7dE91ojwwoQzqV0Hrg
https://instagram.com/bassdepartment/
most viewed articles
current edition
Pennyblackmusic - Writers and Photographers' Albums of the Year 2024Man From Delmonte - Interview
Peter Perrett - In Dreams Begin Responsibilities Interview Part One
Clive Langer - Interview
Pennyblackmusic - Book of the Year Award 2024
Johnnie Johnstone - Interview
Marianne Faithfull - Reflections
Laura Nyro - Profile
Johny Brown - Corpse Flower
Vinyl Stories - Vinyl 2024
most viewed reviews
current edition
Ringo Starr - Look UpDorie Jackson - Stupid Says Run
Pixie Lott - Encino
Dusty Springfield - The BBC Sessions
Beabadoobee - This is How The World Moves
Joan Armatrading - How Did This Happen and What Does It Mean?
Unthanks - In Winter
Rosie Lowe - Lover, Other
Emily Burns - Die Happy
Oïmiakon - Comptoir Des Vanites
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart