May 21st, 2012
Tomorrow Night Maps & Atlases Will Be At Union Transfer And It’ll Probably Be Pretty Awesome
For indie rock fans, these guys are pretty fantastic. There’s not a whole lot that’s groundbreaking about Maps & Atlases – they’re using the typical tools: guitars, drums, voices, and sometimes synths and effects. But the lead singer’s voice is so killer in a way that’s not even annoying. You know how sometimes when you listen to the Mountain Goats that John Darnielle’s voice gets annoying? Or just how whenever you listen to a quirky voice that it becomes all you can focus on? Well, Dave Davison’s voice is so hypnotically brilliant that it’s not a distracting thing. It’s a good thing. It ties the whole sonic package together all nice and neatly. Their debut LP, Perch Patchwork, was bomb. And their brand new one, Beware and Be Grateful, is a great listen and highly recommended. So perhaps you should give the new one a spin on the Spotify and buy a ticket to tomorrow’s show. Oh, and check out what Chris Parker has to say about em’:
Maps & Atlases
The earliest releases by this Chicago quartet possess nervy, angular post-punk bristle and a mathematical ken. After a couple of EPs, they reduced the complexity and embraced a brighter, melodic mid-tempo Northwestern indie rock shimmer. Their second full-length Beware and Be Grateful continues this evolution. Their earlier calculus is retained in the form of proggy, multi-passage arrangements fueled by increasingly upbeat electro-tinged beats and a penchant for African rhythms now a couple years short of hip. The hooks aren’t all that sharp, but they retain enough quirk and idiosyncrasy to court slower-moving music hipsters, and boast the kind of crafted nuance to make its best moments earworms. They’ve got skills, but are still en route. -Chris Parker
8:30pm. $15. With The Big Sleep + Sister Crayon. Union Transfer, 1024 Spring Garden St. 215.821.7575. utphilly.com
