Great Shapes

Put on your shades and turn up the volume, because summer is being ushered in by the chilled out sounds of Great Shapes. Tomorrow the indie pop rockers are set to unleash their new album Somewhere In Between into the world, and we don’t wanna make you wait any longer for a taste of the record. That’s why we’re bringing you the exclusive premiere of the irresistibly gorgeous “Stone Ring”, which tells the tale of love and commitment, and all the tangled webs that get woven in relationships. Every part of this track is enthralling—even the meaning behind the name of it, as explained by guitarist and vocalist Neil Henry:

“The song started with the working title of ‘Stone Ring’ and that was based on a stone wedding band and what it would mean to give that. Stone Ring is the concept of a perfect circle of love involving elements that are imperfect, like all (real) relationships . Its a story about an antagonist who is scared to jump in, while the protagonist is neck deep in love. They’re waiting for commitment, waiting for companionship, waiting for real love.”

With melodic hooks that are best listened to while driving with the top down, the Texas quartet deliver a refreshing sound that sets the tone of the album. If you like what you hear, you can pick up Somewhere In Between tomorrow—check out what drummer Evan Tremper has to say about the upcoming release, and hit play to get a preview with “Stone Ring”!

“The title of the album is based off of a lyric from our song Dream Catcher. “I close my eyes, now I’m catching zzz’s, this is where I’m supposed to be. And I won’t go back to reality, but I can meet you somewhere in between.” While working on the album we lost a member, had to move out of the studio space we were using, several of us were changing jobs and everyone seemed to be in an “in between” phase. After kicking album titles around, “Somewhere In Between” came up and we found the phrase plaguing us. There was a day we were on tour and we caught one of the members on the phone saying “we’re somewhere in between” describing which ever city were driving to that day and we all kind of looked at each other and laughed. After that we just stopped brainstorming and left it at “Somewhere In Between”. - Idobi

El Paso, Texas band Great Shapes are gearing up to release their new album Somewhere In Between out June 16. They’ve been called “renegade pop” which not only sounds cool, it perfectly fits their music. We’re thrilled to premiere “Losing My Mind” below. Infectiously bouncy and energizing, the track draws you in with shimmering guitars and a memorable chorus. This is the perfect start to your weekend.

Neil Henry on the song:

“Losing My Mind was one of the first songs we wrote shortly after Murmuration was completed. We just returned home from tour and had this sort of, chaotic energy. A lot of personal stuff was going on in our lives and that somehow transferred into the emotion of the song. There was an aggressive edge mixed with feelings of losing control of the things around us. After playing it live for the first time and seeing different reaction from our fans, we knew this song was going to speak for itself.” - GroundSounds

Alternative-pop, El Paso band Great Shapes have released a stream of their new sophomore record Somewhere In Between. The album is a blend of eclectic sounds with melodic guitar soundscapes, groovy bass lines, and up-tempo drums that will keep you moving. Stylistically, Great Shapes is influenced by post-punk and indie-pop music and their music and lyrics tackle themes of love, disenchantment, change and the effect time has on everything in-between. - Pure Grain Audio

Great Shapes doesn’t just exemplify the El Paso music scene’s independent spirit. The band personifies it.

The four-piece was formed in 2013 by drummer Even Tremper and singer-guitarist Neil Henry. After a lineup change, the group has solidified itself with the addition of guitarist Nathan Gomez and bass player Antonio Salazar.

The band released its newest single, “Losing My Mind,” last week. On Friday, the group will release a new seven-song EP, “Somewhere In Between,” in digital and physical format. Great Shapes will celebrate the release with a show at 9 p.m. Friday at Lowbrow Palace, 111 E. Robinson Ave.

“It’s really on the cusp of being a full album,” Tremper said. “We worked on the majority of it at the Abdou Building (in Downtown) at Justin Leeah’s studio. Justin has done all of our songs. He’s kind of our fifth member.”

Leeah is an award-winning producer and sound engineer who has worked with artists such as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, At the Drive-In and Conor Oberst.

“Losing My Mind” is a dance-y piece of indie-pop that features Tremper’s punchy drumming, Henry’s unique and catchy voice and melodies and a guitar counter-melody that adds to the song’s dance-floor-ready feel. The song is the perfect example of Great Shape’s blend of the Killers or Franz Ferdinand’s 2000s dance-rock with the indie-rock sensibilities of The Rapture. A little bit of El Paso desert flavor added in makes the band’s sound even hotter and more original.

“It’s just kind of about going through this craziness and chaotic scheduling,” Henry said. “I just ended up writing it and knowing that someone is going through all that but letting them know it’s going to be OK. It’s definitely a dance-y track, but maybe, vocally, a little more serious.”

Both “Losing My Mind” and the group’s debut EP, “Murmuration,” were financed and released independently by the band. Over the past two years, the group embarked on several tours and weekend runs throughout the country in support of its music. In 2015, Great Shapes also performed in New York during the College Music Journal Music Marathon, a music festival and conference for new music and independent artists.

Being in an isolated town like El Paso, that get-up-and-go attitude is important for any band trying to make waves nationally, Henry said.

“Being in a band from El Paso, it’s grown a lot in the past five years, but because it’s not a major city with music happening all the time — like Los Angeles, Austin, New York — you have to find different ways of getting your name out there,” Henry said. “CMJ was a really helpful show to get on. That showcase opened a lot of doors for us.”Those doors have included more tours, more opportunities to record and “Murmuration” as the No. 16 most added album to college radio station playlists in the nation, according to CMJ.

Those are big steps for a young, independent band whose members hardly knew each other four years ago.

“When we first started, we didn’t know what to expect. We really didn’t know each other that well,” Henry said. “We all had a lot of similar artists that we liked. We all agreed upon indie-dance bands like Foals, The Rapture, Two Door Cinema Club.”

But through long hours logged in rehearsal, recording studios and on the road, the band has developed its own sound and formed a bond that members hope will help take it to the next level.
“I think (touring) is very important and crucial to a band’s growth and success,” Henry said. “Our success depends on us growing as a band and being out there with one another. It gives you a bigger perspective: learning how to get along (with one another) and seeing new places.”

Henry described his relationship with Tremper as not just a friendship, but also a business and a marriage.

“We call each other every day to talk about our next move,” Neal said. “We even call to say goodnight.”

The band’s next move is to continue touring behind “Somewhere In Between” and try to once again get it on national airwaves and, Neal hopes, in Europe.

Tremper said he feels as though the band is on the cusp of more success.

“It’s super exciting,” Tremper said. “I was telling the guys the other day, it almost feels like we are stuck on a very small raft in the middle of a body of water and it’s starting to rain really hard. We’re just trying to stay afloat.” - El Paso Times

Great Shapes is an indie pop rock quartet based in El Paso, Texas. Members all bringing different influences to the table, the band ultimately came together with one goal: to make people move. Since forming in 2013, Great Shapes have already released their debut EP, Murmuration, and shared the stage with acts like The Chain Gang of 1974, New Young Pony Club, Gardens & Villa, WILDCAT! WILDCAT!, and Stepdad.

Murmuration (May 2015) was recorded in El Paso by Justin Leeah (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, At The Drive In, Conor Oberst) and mastered by Grammy winner Joe LaPorta (Twin Shadow, The Killers, Neon Indian, Foo Fighters) in New York City. The EP tackles themes of love, love lost, change, and time. Pulling inspiration from post punk and indie pop genres, Great Shapes mix their melodic guitar soundscapes with groovy bass lines and uptempo drums that are sure to keep you dancing.

Great Shapes is currently on tour in support of their recently released Murmuration EP, making stops in Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Las Cruces, and El Paso. - Fort Hays State University Radio : Great Shapes EP share

Great Shapes began with three members – Evan Tremper, George Rodriguez and Neil Henry – back in July 2013. The group then eventually progressed to four, adding another guitarist, Adam Gutierrez. The band will be celebrating the release of their first single, “Low,” at Sector 7 Basement on Friday, March 6.
Despite Gutierrez living in Odessa, their sound is still pushed by Nathan Gomez from local band Bumpstreet Fonanza. “I'm walking into a band with a particular sound and style that I had fit into,” said Gomez, who joined the band in November. “With Bumpstreet, I have way more control and direction with creating the music. With Great Shapes, I feel like I add and decorate their foundation of solid sound.” - Whats Up Publishing

Brooklyn-based producer Keith Milgaten, aka Keith Sweaty, laid his fingers on Great Shapes‘ single, “Low”; the remix carries a nu-disco aesthetic, bearing a Chicago-house presence as it advances. Beginning with xylophones and bubbly synths, the song then reveals a gritty-buzzy synth bass, alongside vocalist Neil Henry – Milgaten added a heavily-sedated effect on his lyrics. “I have alot of fun tweaking vocals, I didn’t do as much glitching as I usually do”, Keith Milgaten told me over the phone. “I worked on it for about a week. I was trying to create something that sounded misleadingly progressive, but change it up into once the “drop” hits.
“Sweaty” only took a drum-fill and lyrics from the original track, “I ended up reproducing everything from scratch,” said Milgaten. “When I started getting into dance remixes I heard alot in the 90’s that were basically a breakbeat over the original song, I like that it evolved over the past 20 years. To me it’s more of a remix to take less and create more. Give everyone a fresh perspective.” - Cogent Chief