Maps & Atlases - Beware & Be Grateful

Two years after their debut LP ‘Perch Patchwork’, Maps & Atlases are back with ‘Beware & Be Grateful’, an album with a title that appropriately sums up how you should approach it.

Opener ‘Old And Gray’ is full of promise, from its textured vocals to a powerful piano-filled coda over which Dave Davison sings, “When you are old and grey / I hope that someone holds you like I would.” The song seamlessly slides into ‘Fever’; quite a feat considering that the latter is a more tropical affair. It’s clear that the band have worked hard on all levels, including tracklisting, to create something special.

And it is special. There aren’t any bands that sound just like Maps & Atlases – there might be some comparisons to make, with African beats recalling a dash of Vampire Weekend, or Davison’s vocals being a little reminiscent of those of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, if he had a frog in his throat. But nobody sounds exactly like them. And maybe there’s a reason for that.

‘Beware & Be Grateful’ is an album that should be approached with some trepidation, if you’ve not listened to the band before. It blends Maps & Atlases previously experimental math-rock sound with pop sensibilities and more than a hint folk, creating something that is an acquired taste. It’s a good taste, but it’ll take a few listens to appreciate, and even then, it’s not for everyone.

Both high-energy tracks, like the bouncy, confusingly-named ‘Winter’ (surely that’s the grimmest and slowest of seasons?), and the more subdued songs fare well. But those that are in between, or flit between styles are much more up for debate. Clocking in at over six minutes, ‘Silver Self’ is the longest song on the album, but its minimal intro, purely vocal with Davison singing over backing “oohs” and sighs, is the highlight. The African beats kicking in after a couple of minutes pull the listener out of their focus on the music, and Davison’s somewhat random “nanana nana naos” sound, well, a bit naff. There’s a sense of playfulness that sits at odds with the more serious moments on the album, and it’s almost as if the band couldn’t pick which way to go.

‘Vampires’ is a straight-forward rock song, something that might be a little unexpected half way through the album. The riffs are good; everything’s good, and it’s one of the highlights of the album, but it feels a little out of place. Ending on ‘Important’, a heavy, marching song with twinkles of piano notes intertwining with the strong beat, you can’t help but feel that you’ve been on a bit of a journey with the album, which has gone to all sorts of places sonically.

With ‘Beware & Be Grateful’, Maps & Atlases have carved for themselves a neat little niche in the indie rock world. And we should be grateful for that, rather than having another generic album, and be interested to see where the band goes next.