The Forms, The Forms

Wow, this is different. Upon listening to The Forms self-titled second CD (the follow-up to Icarus, released in 2004), I had to go on the Web to find video of The Forms and see how they were producing those sounds. The Forms play fairly quiet, smooth, atmospheric music that follows these riffs and then they somehow harmonize the vocals off the riffs, and the final result is rocking. I’m just glad there is someone out there making music like this. On their Myspace, under the obligatory “Sounds Like” field, they put “hermits in a laboratory.” I really can’t do better than that description. And reading their bio, it seems they labored and stressed in the studio (with audio engineer Steve Albini) to get all the details of this intricate CD right, all while trying to stay under budget.

It must be stated that lead singer/guitarist Alex Tween has an excellent voice, and the band harmonizes together well. The bass is very low-toned and shifts like they are actually rotating the tuning key to get the sound. The drums change volume and accent well, while the guitars or piano lead the riffs. My favorite tracks from the CD are “Red Gun,” the most accessible song, piano-opener “Knowledge in Hand,” and the stretchy waves of “Blue Whale.” The lyrics are abstract and repetitive, as the band paints images through harmonies and vocal layers. The Forms’ presentation also fits; the band pictures and album cover are artful, understated, and mysterious — just like their music. The Forms create a new sonic world that hopefully this world is ready for.