Boston Rock Photos And Stuff
The Wrong Shapes have an intricately twisting musical DNA that they brought to TT’s for On the Town with Mikey Dee 25th Anniversary show.
Another cold night in Allston after a bit of snow. Sounds like the perfect time to hit up O’Brien’s for a wonderfully eclectic bill. The Wrong Shapes were first on the stage. I still can’t believe they make all of their beautiful, textured music with just two people. I love watching them create all of their layers.
The band that was supposed to play first in the 2012 Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble has just played last. In a classy move by Anngelle Wood,* The Grownup Noise closed out this year’s festivities as the non-competing guest band. The eclectic indie rock outfit was supposed to open Preliminary Night #1 before Paul Hansen slipped a disc in his back a couple of days before the show, forcing the band to reluctantly withdraw. Thankfully, he’s feeling much better now. The band took to the TT’s stage and played a great set to wrap things up. What a fitting end to a wonderful three week run.
* Anngelle is full of classy moves when it come to The Rumble.
The Wrong Shapes
“A Thousand Foxes”
2012
Listening to The Wrong Shapes’ “A Thousand Foxes” is like eavesdropping on a private conversation. Bo Barringer’s crooning is intimately intertwined with Rachel Arnold’s harmony vocals. They are in the moment. Do they even know we’re here? Do they know we’re listening? The drum pattern flutters like an anxious heartbeat. The chiming guitars and looping cello make the whole thing feel like a dream. The enchanting music is at odds with the conflicted lyrics. So it goes as we look on, hoping we’ve gone unnoticed as the song fades away.
Where to get it:
The Wrong Shapes
“Places I Used to Hunt”
2011
There’s something about The Wrong Shapes I find intriguing. This group makes music that spins my head. The guitar and cello are intertwined in a double helix. This is musical DNA. I feel like Bo Barringer and Rachel Arnold are toying with me. The sounds are looped and processed until they become some kind of twisted, cryptic puzzle. The vocals only give me clues, never the whole meaning. I’ve heard Bo and Rachel perform “Places I Used To Hunt” as a duo. The recorded version is augmented by Reuben Bettsak’s intricate drum patterns. Another twist in the plot.
Where to get it:
When I first saw Bo & Rachel they hadn’t yet decided on what to call their musical partnership. They’ve now decided to go with The Wrong Shapes. Their name may have changed, but the music is still mesmerizing. The guitar and cello interplay is hypnotic. I find the whole thing rather fascinating.
Bo Barringer and Rachel Arnold are mesmerizing together. Their set at P.A.’s was dark and beautifully textured.
