The Great Migration

A sure-footed effort by any standard, the Impossible Shapes' ambitiously accomplished indie pop incorporates the best elements of lesser-known British Invasion bands with a less whimsical Elephant 6 sensibility. As the bare acoustic guitar strumming intro of "Howling Hearts" immediately brings to mind Elliott Smith, the creamy organ and lilting percussion that follow fit well beside the soothing organic textures of "Four-Leafed Mothers," both recalling the more pensive movements by the Small Faces. As the brainchild of the then-19-year-old Chris Barth, The Great Migration is a dynamic study in restrained pop songcraft that makes nary a misstep on any of its 13 tracks. Very subtle in the unpolished production, the lullaby-like "Change the Air" and steady-driving "Bad Dictator" sound like bookend outtakes from The Who Sell Out, with a sense of sleepy-eyed melancholy pervading throughout. The sliding guitar leads and skipping piano of "Angel Comet," eventually overtaken by freaked out Lou Reed-ish guitar solos, present the band capable of dipping into obscurity, but reluctant to do so to the detriment of the overall inertia of the music. Matching the gorgeously displaced feel of Pavement's "Father to a Sister of Thought," and almost lifting the chord progression as well, "Ambitious Dressing" is the album's emotional climax and three minutes of grandeur that few bands ever reach. But, overall, even when taking into account the veritable roll call of bands they share qualities with, the Impossible Shapes emerge with a sound largely their own. Surely an impressive accomplishment for such a young band.