Maps & Atlases - Perch Patchwork

Chicago, Illinois own Maps & Atlases have arrived on the scene with their full length debut album, Perch Patchwork. The group released their last two EP's on Sargent House Records (RX Bandits record label), and have released an exquisite blend of indie rock and folk/country influences that aims to keep you warm during the cold months of winter with its comforting melodies and relaxing vocals, making for a very thorough listen.

The disc kicks things off with "Will" a slow, melancholy track that shows off lead singer Dave Davison's pure and organic vocal abilities, which make the song sound rich and natural, and not forced or overproduced. "The Charm" is another pleasant sounding track with a more varied degree of instrumentation including drums and is a little bit more experimental in nature with more electric guitars this time around. My favorite song off the album is "Living Decorations",  a melodic, interweaving track that brings together a wide range of instrumentation including blending in electric guitars that both feels good and sounds good right from the getgo and shows the creative risks that this band is willing to take. "Is" is a short, straightforward track that is crisp, authentic, and hauntingly abundant with no frills attached. "Israeli Caves" is a folk based tune with laid back acoustic guitar melodies giving it the feel of an old school country ballad.

The album's second half features "Carry the Wet Wood", a country styled jam that features an assortment of acoustic and electric guitars that blend together quite nicely and add up to an interesting mixture here. "If This Is" is a slowed down, mid tempo opus that plays it safe and is a great song to listen to while unwinding after a long day at work or holiday shopping. We get ready to shut things down here with "Was", a unique, intricate track that features some xylophone sounds and Dave's richly melodic vocals permeating the song to give it a nice, glossy touch. The disc's title track is the final song that features a beautiful, ethereal melody and also brings together a host of varying vocal ranges and dynamic instrumentation that give the song its own weight. It's really hard nowadays to find bands that sound real and authentic and don't sound like some cookie cutter band manufactured by record companies who force feed it down consumers throats. Maps & Atlases fit the mold of a band that goes against the grain of what's expected of a band, and do things on their own terms and no one else's.

To sum it all up, Maps & Atlases have created a uniquely dynamic effort here that shows that you can create a folk based record without being too boring, and experimenting with other genres piques great interest about this band in the process.

                                                                                                                                 Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Will
2. The Charm
3. Living Decorations
4. Solid Ground
5. Is
6. Israeli Caves
7. Banished Be Cavalier
8. Carry the Wet Wood
9. Pigeon
10. If This Is
11. Was
12. Perch Patchwork