MAPS AND ATLASES “Tree, Swallows, Houses”
Where did MAPS AND ATLASES come from? Seriously! Apparently I missed every bit of press coverage their debut EP Tree, Swallows, Houses received last year; thus, I’m incredibly late to this progressive-jazz-math-rock party. Although the seven songs on Tree could be considered “old material,” I find them to be overwhelmingly refreshing. While this Chicago-based group has a firm rhythmic backbone, it’s the incessant finger-tapping that gives them such an impressionable style. Opener “Every Place Is A House” has an absolutely ridiculous beginning; it’s noisy and chaotic with finger-tapping everywhere, yet after the first few notes, things become a bit more controlled with the occasional burst of frantic energy. The band’s ability to shift moods, tempos, and fingers with no trouble is their best asset because they absolutely never bore. And for those thinking MAPS AND ATLASES is simply a one-trick pony, tracks like the stripped-down “Ongoing Horrible” and the creepy O’DEATH/ILLINOIS-esque “The Sounds They Make” surely prove otherwise. Topping off the band’s sound is vocalist Dave Davison who provides an entirely unique vocal performance throughout. I’ve only been listening to MAPS AND ATLASES for a few weeks now, yet I’m already a huge fan and anticipation for a proper full-length has commenced.
Sargent House
