Shapes Like People - Ticking Haze

 

We loved The Shop Window's Daysdream album, so much so that it was in our Best Albums Of 2024. It was great Pop Rock and many followers felt the same. You can read the review here. Shapes Like People are nothing like The Shop Window, so why the hell are they being mentioned here.

Well, Carl Mann is the lead vocalist and guitarist of The Shop Window. Another little known fact is that he co-wrote Kylie Minogue's Ocean Blue. His intention was to record demos to pitch to Kylie, but as the project developed, he loved the sound of his wife Kat's guide vocal on the demos. So much so that they decided to turn the project into their own album.

There are parts that you can hear The Shop Window a little, particularly the Jangle Pop of both Head Spun and When The Radio Plays. But essentially this is Indie Pop like the late 80s and early 90s. It is a magnificent listen, beautifully written, performed and arranged.

It is fair to say that we don't normally reside in this area, although we are massive Mazzy Star fans and like a lot of the influences without really engaging as much as we once did.But there are hints of other faves such as The Sundays, non quirky Alisha's Attic songs and Saint Etienne.

There is surprising variety on display, The Ship Is Soon To Sail is countrified Carpenters. The wonderful Fireworks is instrumentally like Noughties Sparks and vocally, a little Neil Tennant. Server Of The Mind could be Kirsty Maccoll and Lie, Annie Lennox. But New Cut Asunder is splendid Dream Pop and A New Crown is almost Shoegaze and the vocal on Don't Hear Your Footsteps just melts you.

Fans of that late 80s Indie sound will love the album's front half. The back half is more all encompassing. I only discovered this by casually coming across Ambition Is Your Friend. I had no idea that Carl was involved. The album reveals what a masterful multi instrumentalist, arranger and songwriter Carl Mann is, but the real tour de force is Kat Mann's wondrous vocals across the whole piece. 

You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on Vinyl, CD or as a download. It is an essential purchase.

...........................