SIMPLE SHAPES DELIVER A POIGNANT, SYMBOLIC GUT-PUNCH WITH NEW SINGLE “MALLARD”

Some bands make my inner literary analyst weep tears of joy — Simple Shapes is one of them. Their new single, “Mallard,” is a stunning example of what happens when you combine symbolic storytelling with fearless composition and emotional urgency.

At first listen, you catch a gliding guitar riff dancing around a buoyant, indie-forward melody. But lean in, and a layered narrative begins to take shape — and it’s not your typical perspective. The voice behind the lyrics isn’t a person. It’s a potted plant.

Yes, a houseplant.

Stuck in a windowsill, dreaming of rich soil and a garden full of company, this plant becomes a metaphor for isolation, longing, and the deeply human desire to belong. It’s the kind of symbolic writing that would make Max Bemis proud — think Say Anything at their most allegorical and emotionally frayed. And like Bemis, Simple Shapes know how to turn yearning into a build that devastates — the vocal fry, the belting, the crescendo of emotion all land perfectly.

“Mallard” doesn’t chase trends or fit neatly into genre boxes. It’s too busy telling a story — one that lingers long after the last note. It’s heartfelt. It’s unexpected. And somehow, it’s heartbreaking to empathize this much with a lonely plant. But here we are.

I didn’t expect to be moved like this, but I’m glad I was. If “Mallard” is any indication of where Simple Shapes is headed, we’re in for something special.