For a certain kind of listener, longtime local MVPs Sound&Shape’s latest LP is a hit of serotonin administered via the ears. The band is extraordinarily adept at blending prog rock’s ideas about making music on a grand scale with the whistle-worthy hook sensibility of six decades of pop songwriters and the sheer force of punk and metal. And there’s plenty of substance to the songs — this batch is one of their strongest ever. Album closer “How the Light Gets In,” which has one of singer-guitarist Ryan Caudle’s best vocal performances to date, is a poignant look at carrying on when it feels like everything has fallen apart.
