The Susan Constant
Shapes
2013
The Susan Constant were one of my favorite surprises of the 2012 Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble. I knew nothing of the band going into the night, but their passionate set won me over instantly. Their new EP, Shapes, is equally fan-inducing. Somehow, the band has managed to capture the spark of their live performance on these six well-crafted indie rock gems. These are the kinds of songs that get packed clubs hopping or swaying in unison.* “Locked Up” and “One Good Reason” have hit single written all over them.** The rest of the release is just as solid. Songs like “Tennessee,” “Like A Ghost” and “Draw Us All” show off how a band can vary their songwriting while cultivating a well-defined sound. It all leads up to “Midwestern You,” a song that opens with a U2-esque intro before riding out on a wave of synth pads and almost horn-like guitar melodies. That’s a pretty nice way to close out Shapes.
Where to get it:
* The release show for Shapes is Saturday night at The Middle East Upstairs. I’m pretty sure this is going to happen.
** “Locked Up” even has a hit single video.