Maps & Atlases // Beware and Be Grateful

Maps & Atlases – Beware and Be Grateful (FatCat Records) 

'Beware and Be Grateful' is the sophomore effort from Chicago quartet Maps & Atlases, and it’s a bit of an odd one. Generally shoe-horned into the math-rock/post-rock genre, thanks in no small part to their early EPs, this new record quite firmly denies these expectations and takes you to some bizarre places across its 10 tracks. One of the things that particularly stands out for me is the interesting vocal work employed, with some great a cappella moments and a way of utilising harmony that doesn’t just follow the norm, but actually has artistic purpose in and of its own right. It’s refreshing to be able to hear that a band have actually considered every element to the level Maps & Atlases clearly have. There are some more obviously ‘mathy’ moments, but then you can just as easily be thrown into a hula world of calypso-type music out of nowhere, as in 'Silver Self' or into the Mexican tinged landscape you find in 'Bugs'. 'Beware and Be Grateful' is definitely worth a good listen or two, and it has a lot to offer, but there’s something about it as a complete package that doesn’t quite pull together for me. I’d definitely like to see what they do with it live though. 7/10 BBV