I’m an unabashed fan of The Shop Window. Their newly-released double LP is hands down my favorite record this year. So, a few months back, when TSW frontman Carl Mann sent me a link to hear some other songs he was working on with his wife, Kat Mann, I was super excited to listen in.
Humble as ever, Carl conveyed that the new band, to be called Shapes Like People, came about purely by accident. He’d written some demos that didn’t fit into the TSW framework that he envisioned pitching to other artists. He needed a female guide vocal and asked Kat to sing. But as they worked together, he became possessive. He believed they had something special and couldn’t bring himself to part with the songs. I vividly remember concurring, telling him after a few listens that Kat’s vocals were perfect; sultry, confident, crystalline.
“Fireworks” is the debut single, out today, and one of several outstanding songs in the pipeline for an upcoming LP in the works. As Carl told me, “We’re currently working on tracks 8 and 9 for the album. It’s coming along very nicely. We’re thinking two, maybe three more singles after ‘Fireworks’, then an album release possibly late this year or early 2025. If the interest is there, we’ll probably do a small run of CDs for the album.”
As you’ll hear, Kat’s dreamy vocals blend seamlessly with Carl’s reverb-drenched guitars. Elements of dream-, chamber-, and jangle-pop are woven with a tinge of folk. Think Beach House, Mazzy Star, Lush, Weyes Blood, and Lana Del Ray as touchpoints of comparison.
The project was something Kat had her trepidations about at first. “When I first met Carl, I couldn’t have imagined working together, let alone on a record. He’s far too much of a perfectionist, and I’d imagined rather bossy in the studio. Turns out it’s [been] incredibly cathartic, though trusting him with some of the harmonies he’s had me singing took a little convincing.”
Through the process, she witnessed his innate musical gifts. “He can hear the pieces of the puzzle in his head before they even exist. I’ve recently pointed out to him that we are not all fortunate enough to have this as our ‘normal’. He seemed a little surprised! I now completely understand his addiction to the process of writing and producing music. We probably should have started doing this sooner. It’s a total joy ride!”
“Fireworks” is a lyrical love song rich with acoustic and electric guitars, piano and mellotron keys, and vocal harmonies. As Carl puts it, “it’s really quite fitting that Kat has ended up being the vocalist on it.” I couldn’t agree more. It’s an outstanding first effort from the fledgling band. The song has unshakably been in my head all week.
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