Trkane's Blog

Maps and Atlases played their last show of a slew of dates touring behind their latest, and folkiest release, Perch Patchwork. The atmosphere of Mickey Finn’s was excellent – An awesome pub with great service, decent enough bar food (they even had veggie burgers) and even better drink specials. They had domestic pints for a buck, and my buddy Trevor’s gin and tonic was as stiff as they come. But, onto the music, right?

The Globes

The Globes kicked the night off with a fitting set of gloomy, to the point rock songs. I hadn’t heard of them up to this point, but I was impressed from the beginning of the set with the band’s musicianship. The dual singers shared some nice harmonies and played some completely appropriate guitar parts – something that was easier said than done for another one of the openers. Their bass player managed to find a great balance between his bass guitar and the Korg MicroKorg in front of him. He switched instruments seamlessly in the middle of songs, and you never really felt like there was an empty spot when he switched.  Their changes were well thought out and caught you off guard in all the right ways. Dynamically, they reminded me a lot of Sunny Day Real Estate, but the songs were a lot more drawn-out in trying to establish a mood. I wouldn’t mind seeing The Globes again.

Tera Melos

Tera Melos was up next, and although they drew a much bigger crowd and had fliers posted everywhere promoting their new album, they were a clear step down from The Globes. What puzzled me, was the band’s almost comical use of effects. The guys were clearly decent musicians – the guitarists knew more than your everyday power chords, and the guy stage left was shredding up a storm, but Tera Melos was little more than organized noise. The drummer was good, the bass player was rock solid, and the band’s two vocalists had an OK-enough sense of melody. So why didn’t it work?

The guys were everywhere. I honestly could not tell what they were going for – they’re metal-shred-tapping with Telecasters and Fender amps. They might start a song with a math-rock breakdown and immediately launch into some big, power-chordy choruses that kinda sound like Weezer. And when they weren’t doing these things (which was 50 percent of the time) they were fiddling around with their effects pedals – which seriously looked like around $3,000 worth of shit sitting at their feet. The aforementioned guitarist at stage right had two – count them – two full effects boards that were jammed to capacity on both fronts.

I couldn’t gauge how I felt the whole time. There was no unifying theme in a given song. I guess the ADD, always-shifting song is interesting for some people, but it isn’t for me. The shame was that these guys did have some talent, and they were too busy dicking around with their pedals to do anything with it. Again, I can understand why people like them, but, again, it isn’t for me.

Trevor and I made up a few alternate names for Tera Melos – A few of them included “My dad runs a Guitar Center franchise,” and “Hey, look! I made all of them work!” I’m sure they are nice guys.

Maps and Atlases

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Maps and Atlases was a lot better last night than I ever remember them being live. Back in the day (I saw them around 2007 and 2008) their concerts could get pretty sloppy. While their jaw-dropping tapping patterns were probably nearly impossible to play proficiently live, the band has pulled their shit together. This new Maps and Atlases isn’t only tighter, they are beginning to grasp a newer form their craft. Perch Patchwork has opened up a new door for the band by finishing what they started on You, Me and the Mountain. Perch Patchwork takes their earthy, organic, but super technical sound and adds more of a songwriter aspect to it – gone is the novelty of guitar-tapping as the only form of technique.

Let’s get Perch Patchwork’s problems out of the way – the album lacks that sheer intensity that the band’s first releases had. On first listen, I was bored with this newer, folkier take on the band. But, what it lacks in energy it makes up in cleverness and subtlety. The Perch Patchwork stuff really breathes live, and creates a much more engaging atmosphere than on record. Maps and Atlases are trading in frightening tapping parts for some pretty awesome chord progressions and instrumentation. Dave Davison’s voice isn’t hiding behind the crazy-guitars and the clicky drums anymore- he sings outright and embraces the melodies he’s written on the new stuff. But, he could even do more – the guy has a really pleasant, soulful voice, but it gets lost live sometimes from him just plain… mumbling. In last night’s performance of “Ted Zancha,” I wanted to yell “speak up, son!” – the lyrics that were pretty clear (and awesome) on record did not come across at all. But you have to give the guy credit. I could do little more than tap my foot if I was playing the guitar parts that he plays under all of his vocals.

You can tell that after years and years of touring behind Tree, Swallows, Houses, the band is (understandably) sick of what the sounds that ignited the small following they’ve established. In fact, the only song they played off of their debut EP was the fan favorite “Every Place is a House.”I found myself really liking the new stuff live. Maps and Atlases are embracing a new kind of instrumentation that they hadn’t before. Guitarist Erin Elders stepped out from his corner on a few occasions to play some synthesizer or bell-toned keyboards. It has been pretty awesome to see the band progress over time and step outside of what they created in 2005, rather than milk their success with Tree, Swallows, Houses.

Shiraz Dada is one of the classiest bass players out there – his parts are always appropriate and right on-point – and he is an absolute pleasure to watch live. He’s got a true handle of where his instrument sits tonally, and because of that, his parts can remain flashy and never seem like they are too much. And like his presence on the stage, his parts dance all over the place – the guy looks like he’s ballroom dancing with his Music Man bass. He works really well with drummer Chris Hainey, who is also becoming a bit more tasteful with how he hits the skins.

Overall, the show was a good one, and for the 10 buck admission, I can’t complain at all. The music was awesome, the venue was the definition of intimate, and the people were a joy to be around. With all of the changes Maps and Atlases have gone through, it was sort of like seeing one of your buddies come back from college all grown up. But for me, the whole thing was kind of bittersweet. I looked around, and the venue is only filled maybe to half capacity. This is a small venue, too. I don’t know if it was Toledo, or if this is the way the whole tour has been, but America, what the fuck!? Maps and Atlases are here, and they are super-talented. Check them out.