Dillon

I’ve found that when I discover a band that I a) like and b) have trouble fitting into a specific genre box, that band tends to hold my attention longer than acts which, while good, fit into a genre “definition”. Lately, I’ve been discovering a lot of local bands like Have a Good Season and damn their new album Shapes I’ve Never Seen definitely ticks that a) and b) I was talking about. This is a band maturing and finding a super approachable but still very unique voice. Varied, in both theme, emotion, and pacing this album strings the listener from track-to-track and mood-to-mood in a super clean and kinda magical way. Take the range shown with the pseudo-melancholy lows of tracks like “Sunflower Yellow” to the bright rising peaks toward the end of follow-up track “Chew for You”. Which then veer into almost math-rock twinkly guitars opening the track “Gleaux/Scab” leading into the up tempo rise within that track even as the lyrics get a little darker. While I said HAGS has a very unique sound I do think there’s some familiarity to be found out in them by fans of acts like Turnover and Covet. So if you’re into some twinkly/math-y/emo adjacent music this will be right up there for you, but HAGS still finds a way to surprise and spice things up. So I think even those not so into the emo-math-y stuff will still find a ton of enjoyment with Shapes I’ve Never Seen. 

Sean

Oh boy the bass in the album has me popping off. Not sure if popping off is the right phrase, because the parts I am talking about are the slower more somber ones. As I think about it more I don’t think there is ever actually an okay place to use the phrase “popping off”. I don’t like to hide my mistakes however so it is going to stay up there. Anyway the bass. A great example of everything I liked about the bass can be heard in the track “Ramune”. Slow steady and methodical it moves the track along in a really lovely way. It takes my mind back to bands in the short-lived slowcore genre of the 90s, and that’s pretty neat. On the whole I would say I enjoyed the album. I do wish there were more moments where it would slow down and take a breath. 

Greg

Shapes I’ve Never Seen–pulls you in and weaves you through a melodically powerful 46 minute journey. Specifically on Ramune–HAGS shows off their acoustic intimacy and bring you back into the light on “Before the Gold Rush”. As a whole, the project feels like a true stake in the ground, providing creative direction for their future discography. Overall, this was a proper reflection of a band finding their footing–looking forward to more.