We've updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Tractorbeam

from Compound Shapes by United Shapes

/

  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    The album as it was meant to be heard. Only 200 pressed. 180-gram vinyl.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Compound Shapes via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 1 day
    edition of 200 

      $20 USD or more 

    You own this  

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Includes unlimited streaming of Compound Shapes via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 1 day
    edition of 100 

      $7 USD or more 

    You own this  

     

  • Compound Shapes Limited Edition USB Cassette
    USB Flash Drive

    If you don't have a CD player in your car, this is for you. It looks like a tape - it sounds like a CD. Plug it right into the USB hole in your newer-model car. Welcome to the retro future.

    Sold Out

  • T-Shirt/Apparel

    ships out within 1 day

      $25 USD or more 

    You own this  

     

  • Digital Track
    Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $1 USD  or more

    You own this

     

  • Buy the Full Digital Album View the Full Digital Album

about

Hello again! Drew and I are pleased to present our first United Shapes release in over three years, "Tractorbeam"! Another song about inescapable fractal doom.

The guitar and keyboard were recorded at the same time into a single track on my phone during a spontaneous improv jam session in my bedroom. Drew is playing a Stratocaster he built from scratch! Later, I recorded him playing Galaga, and he suggested that we name the song "Tractorbeam". That night, we watched Chinatown.

We hope you like this song. We have never written together spontaneously like this before, and we enjoyed it so much that we're planning to write the rest of the album in this tandem seat-pants fashion. Thank you for listening, and as always, thank you for choosing United Shapes.

lyrics

Juicy pics, mister
Money's no problem
No thanks, my nose runs
where it don't belong

"Futile" gets thrown around
a lot these days but
really we're the ones
getting thrown away

It's neither quick nor sand
but it does the trick so
Do as little as you can
Quick! Don't do something, quick!

I'm a one-piece puzzle
but these uneasy pieces
can't be counted on one hand

Who made you like this
If I ever catch the monster
If I ever but I never can

But light is tricky like that
and your brain has to fill the gaps with whatever it can
Comes back with a bloody stump
but it's doomed to try again

I like getting pulled but not my nose or legs
and when I say "when" that's what I mean

I know I throw my safeword around but not now
I'm not screaming "futile" 'cause I like to scream

As little flashing lights pull
gnash your teeth
as little as possible
Tractorbeam

credits

from Compound Shapes, track released September 2, 2018

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

United Shapes image

United Shapes Austin, Texas

United Shapes are an alternative pop/rock duo formed in 2004 in Austin, TX by Joseph Devens and Drew Cave. New studio album Confuseograph available 2/10/23 on Flim Flam Records.

contact / help

Contact United Shapes

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this track or account