To many, digital music distribution has made hard copies irrelevant—but singer/guitarist Ben Potrykus and drummer Andy Sadoway also see it as an opportunity for novel ideas. With their trio Girlfriends, they released songs on cassette and VHS tape, and under their new name, Bent Shapes, they just released a 7-inch on Plexiglass.
“It’s thick and heavy and pretty pointy at the edges,” Potrykus says of the single “86’d in ’03” (a reference to his high-school graduation), backed with a cover of “Bridgeport Lathe” by obscure ’70s Boston rockers the 2x4s. “When you have the physical component of a release,” Sadoway adds, “why not have it a little wacky?”
In turn, Bent Shapes live up to their name with skewed, perky pop that falls somewhere between Vampire Weekend and Velvet Underground offspring the Feelies. The band adopted that name because “Girlfriends” was difficult to find in an Internet search and “forced people into preconceived notions of what they might expect,” Potrykus says.
Another change: the departure of Girlfriends/Bent Shapes bassist Supriya Gunda, who left after last year’s catchy Feels Weird. The group has since shuffled to fill that spot. Sadoway played bass on the new 7-inch, and, for shows, they recently switched from Spirit Kid mastermind Emeen Zarookian (who’s moving to California) to Potrykus’ sister Kate. Luke Brandfon has also joined the band on second guitar.
Nonetheless, Bent Shapes’ tunes largely toggle on the metronomic, shifting interplay between principals Sadoway and Potrykus, who says, “The idea of using guitars as percussion instruments, interacting with drums, is pretty fascinating to me.”
Loud and Clear
Ten Top Local Acts Who’ve Been Making Noise Around Boston and Beyond.
By Paul Robicheau | Photo Credit: Mary Lewey | Aug. 1, 2014
Bent Shapes
To many, digital music distribution has made hard copies irrelevant—but singer/guitarist Ben Potrykus and drummer Andy Sadoway also see it as an opportunity for novel ideas. With their trio Girlfriends, they released songs on cassette and VHS tape, and under their new name, Bent Shapes, they just released a 7-inch on Plexiglass.
“It’s thick and heavy and pretty pointy at the edges,” Potrykus says of the single “86’d in ’03” (a reference to his high-school graduation), backed with a cover of “Bridgeport Lathe” by obscure ’70s Boston rockers the 2x4s. “When you have the physical component of a release,” Sadoway adds, “why not have it a little wacky?”
In turn, Bent Shapes live up to their name with skewed, perky pop that falls somewhere between Vampire Weekend and Velvet Underground offspring the Feelies. The band adopted that name because “Girlfriends” was difficult to find in an Internet search and “forced people into preconceived notions of what they might expect,” Potrykus says.
Another change: the departure of Girlfriends/Bent Shapes bassist Supriya Gunda, who left after last year’s catchy Feels Weird. The group has since shuffled to fill that spot. Sadoway played bass on the new 7-inch, and, for shows, they recently switched from Spirit Kid mastermind Emeen Zarookian (who’s moving to California) to Potrykus’ sister Kate. Luke Brandfon has also joined the band on second guitar.
Nonetheless, Bent Shapes’ tunes largely toggle on the metronomic, shifting interplay between principals Sadoway and Potrykus, who says, “The idea of using guitars as percussion instruments, interacting with drums, is pretty fascinating to me.”
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