Tree, Swallows, Houses

They Say...

Review by Jason Lymangrover, All Music Guide

If rock music is comparable to a game of checkers, Maps & Atlases would be Bobby Fischer, playing a similar but more intellectual game. Their first EP, Tree, Swallows, Houses is a busy record full of mathematical mastery in the vain of Don Caballero and Hella. But the bonus here is, where many math rock bands are all-too-often preoccupied with showing off their ability to play complex rhythms and scales, even when it makes the music unlistenable, Maps & Atlasescontain their sudden changes and maximal musical acrobatics within the confines of a relatively standard four-minute pop song structure that actually sounds like a song. Granted, the band doesn't use a typical verse-chorus-verse format, but instead, something more like a Deerhoof or TV on the Radio composition; the destinations of their songs are clear despite the detours they take. Chances are, if you're a musician, you will be completely floored by the chops of this virtuosic four piece. And if you're not a musician, you can enjoy their tunes without being overwhelmed by their technique. The effect is somewhat like Tortoise on pep pills, with harmonious melodies, strong pop sensibilities, and led by a singer/guitarist who sounds a bit like Nick Drake if he were angrily inhaling helium. Surprisingly, his unique vocal range doesn't detract from the equation, but instead completes it and gives the music and arrangement a sense of fullness. The disc is jam-packed with flurries of bass and guitar notes, but before the rampant tapped-arpeggios and odd thrashing drum patterns can get obnoxious, the band shows off their sweet side with two rich, mellow psychedelic folk-based numbers. These continue the fancy guitar fretwork with trickery like tapped harmonics while simultaneously slapping a bongo beat on the body and bending sustained notes by loosening the tuning pegs. The technical wizardry might be too much for some, but if you can keep up, you'll be bobbing your head with envy when you're not shaking your head and smiling in disbelief at this adventurous combination of art rock, indie rock and prog rock.