Sometimes the world looks like a giant tire-fire burning eternally, but then the light from the sunset catches the smoke in the corner of your eye and you remember to see that there is beauty even in this rancid wasteland that some still dare to call life. In “Wide Angle Eyes,” Shapes on Tape capture real life scenes of everlasting bliss that bubble up spontaneously from the more fortuitous corners of the unknown. It’s simple, it’s direct, it’s smart as hell.

Shapes on Tape – “Wide Angle Eyes” 

https://soundcloud.com/shapesontape/wide-angle-eyes

Mixolydian synth rainbows erupt from volcanoes made of lazers after a short flurry of notes let’s us know some real shit is about to go down. Then the world bestows upon our intrepid narrator rows of trees near where Bushwick becomes Ridgewood, while his allergies prevent any semblance of pleasure or contentment from settling anywhere near, let alone inside him. The way that juxtaposes for our hero makes it memorable. Certainly memorable enough to write about, which is what he does. After we pause to take a picture, we are in the East River, riding the ferry from Governor’s Island to Brooklyn in the golden hour, as the sunset behind New York City makes a silhouette shadow mountain range, and the sunlight reflects off the river in the boat’s wake.

Take a picture. Our narrator did, in his mind. And speaking of our narrator’s self-evidently capacious mind, our next scene occurs in his imagination. He astrally projects above the earth, above the planets and their moons, to be brilliant and alone like so many billions of stars in county skies, all while remaining safely in his bed. You can do it, too.  Have a daydream/nightdream out of body experience with Shapes on Tape! All you have to do is take a picture with your wide angle eyes.

Jason

Bio:

Shapes on Tape’s dynamic blend of rock and electronic instrumentation has been described as “effortlessly transitioning between laid-back dream pop and rock infused dance anthems.”

Genre hopping producer/multi-instrumentalist/90’s groovebox enthusiast/ Adam Kruckenberg, formerly of midwest glam legend Vibralux, and guitarist/songwriter, Jason Matuskiewicz, a veteran of beloved Lexington, KY band Candidate, began collaborating 2014. They soon took Jason’s effortless punk-tinged folk songs in a far more electronic direction.

With the assistance of Justin Craig, Grammy nominated producer and S on T certified musical genius, they recorded their debut EP, “Motivational Speakers,” and their subsequent E.P. “No Bummers,” as well as the single “Fountain of Youth.” The guys found another musical genius, Alexander Almgren, with whom they recorded the single, “My One and Only True Love,” released on Valentine’s Day of 2016. The band is hard at work trying record all of the 5 million songs they have written.

Matuskiewicz’s lyrics and straightforward style always flirt with the relationship between high and low concept, taking on complex social and emotional issues with an abrupt 3 chord frankness that never takes itself seriously, while Kruckenberg’s synthetic reimaginings take the songs into lush and dynamic sound that is simultaneously unusual and instantly accessible.