Maps & Atlases, a math-rock band from Chicago

[mitchables]

In the vein of similar math-beats finger-tapping jive mongers like Don Caballero, The Redneck Manifesto, This Town Needs Guns, Foals, Minus the Bear, and so forth. There are four members in Maps & Atlases and they have released three EPs. There is a nice balance of angular, technical instrumental work and catchy, accessible melody, which swings slightly more toward the latter the later the work.

Some examples:

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I was wondering if you'd humour me with your thoughts on this fine band of musicians. IS THAT DESCRIPTIVE ENOUGH FOR YOU ROAD DOGGY DOGG

[toxic rooster]

I have been somewhat enjoying this genre as of late.

If you could be so kind as to find me an illegal torrent with which to download some of their stuff, I could give you a detailed response

but for now, it's along the lines of 'I like what I hear, spesh that second one'

[DaveWadding]

math + rock = DOES NOT COMPUTE

[The Destroyer]

Math + rock = awesome

You forgot to carry the one.

[D Mac]

LOL You're weird.

[Gertner]

lol math rock.

[Downunder]

The original math rocker


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vEyVLR5ctOc/R1TwlgZcp8I/AAAAAAAAAKU/auIR9TmuQcg/s400/The%2BCount.jpg

[Danny Electric]

This Town Needs Guns :heart:
I swear I have heard of this band before. You ever listened to Youth Movie Soundtrack Strategies Mitch?

[Indifferent Clox]

I like battles and slint

[Gertner]

The pretentiousness is oozing out of this genre.

[Downunder]

But seriously, math-rock???

[mitchables]

Yes, I don't understand what's so hard to grasp about this. I don't come into Metallica threads and go, "HEAVY metal?" like it's some bizarre anomaly of a genre. All that gives it its name is the artists' tendency to focus on atypical/asymmetrical time signatures like 7/8, 9/8, 11/8, 5/4, etc instead of the more common 4/4 or 6/8.

So then, using groups mostly of 2, 3 and 4 beats over a continuous asymmetrical beat, the different members of the band can create interwoven melodies that compound in and out of time to great effect, especially if they all drop into a uniform groove after it or something. Delicious. But anyway, that's where it gets the maths name. Not because mathematicians play it or it's good to solve math problems to or whatever.

[Penner]

I'm trying to get into them dude. I can see they're talented. But DAMN, they are weird.

[Penner]

This music is too weird for me.

[toxic rooster]

I was literally doing maths problems to These Arms are Snakes like 20 minutes ago

[mitchables]

These Arms are Snakes aren't remotely math-rock though, not that I'm sure that's what you were insinuating.

[mitchables]

This Town Needs Guns :heart:
I swear I have heard of this band before. You ever listened to Youth Movie Soundtrack Strategies Mitch?

Missed this question, sorry Danny. No, no I have not.

I'll give it a download.

[mitchables]

This music is too weird for me.

First one's easier to follow in terms of melody/timing than the second, but I see where you're coming from. It's not for everyone.

Which is a pity, because a lot of math-rock bands are really talented. Don't underestimate the difficulty of playing a 5/4 bassline four times under a 4/4 guitar line being played 5 times over a two-bar, 5/4 drum line played twice. When it syncs up and everyone falls back in time, it's beautiful. If someone drops a beat - just one - the whole thing falls apart.

[toxic rooster]

These Arms are Snakes aren't remotely math-rock though, not that I'm sure that's what you were insinuating.

Precisely (not what I was insinuating at all :))

[Penner]

First one's easier to follow in terms of melody/timing than the second, but I see where you're coming from. It's not for everyone.

Which is a pity, because a lot of math-rock bands are really talented. Don't underestimate the difficulty of playing a 5/4 bassline four times under a 4/4 guitar line being played 5 times over a two-bar, 5/4 drum line played twice. When it syncs up and everyone falls back in time, it's beautiful. If someone drops a beat - just one - the whole thing falls apart.

I know dude. I like doing shit like that with my band. Where the drums play 6/8, and the guitars play 4/4 and they end up syncing up.

I love shit like that. And these guys are talented. I just feel like they overdo it. Or maybe they don't, but I can't take too much. I need an underlying melody/backbone. I guess the bass/drums are trying to do that but it all seems confusing to me. I was checking the tabs earlier.

[mitchables]

Well, Artichokes, as I said, is pretty straightforward. They're all playing to a "base pattern" (ie the common thread that they all sync to) of 8 beats. Seriously, from the start of the song, if you just loop counts of eight, you'll latch on to the groove immediately.

I don't even think they change off that 8 beat structure. Even that seemingly crazy syncopated part after the "You have already, you have already" part in the lyrics is a straight up 8-beat cycle. Not sure how that's overdone. Every Place is a House, though, is definitely more erratic and harder to decipher. Artichokes might be easier still in a non-live version, if I can find one.

Not that I'm disagreeing with you, just you're the only person who came into this thread and actually wanted to discuss it instead of making some witty crack about math-rock and leaving.

[Downunder]

*maths

We are not Americans Mitch...

[Penner]

Well, Artichokes, as I said, is pretty straightforward. They're all playing to a "base pattern" (ie the common thread that they all sync to) of 8 beats. Seriously, from the start of the song, if you just loop counts of eight, you'll latch on to the groove immediately.

I don't even think they change off that 8 beat structure. Even that seemingly crazy syncopated part after the "You have already, you have already" part in the lyrics is a straight up 8-beat cycle. Not sure how that's overdone. Every Place is a House, though, is definitely more erratic and harder to decipher. Artichokes might be easier still in a non-live version, if I can find one.

Not that I'm disagreeing with you, just you're the only person who came into this thread and actually wanted to discuss it instead of making some witty crack about math-rock and leaving.

What CD should I download by them? I'll give them more of a chance.

[toxic rooster]

You still haven't addressed post #2

[Penner]

It's just that bands that are math-core appeal more to me.

E.g. Dillinger Escape Plan, Human Abstract, Protest The Hero, Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza

[ron the dial]

as would be expected of any mitch suggestion, i'm a pretty big fan of these guys. can't believe i hadn't heard of them before.

[Sixx]

First time I've ever heard the term math-rock. Don't like it and the name of the genre sounds retarded, unless you're a basement nerd rocker headbanging to your PC.

[Danny Electric]

Says the cock rock guy :)

[Downunder]

Math-core????

ok you need to stop with the retarded made up genres

[Sixx]

Hahaha @ cock rock :D

Still I prefer to be a cock rock guy than a nerd rock guy :)

[Danny Electric]

The difference is :)

[Gertner]

Douche-Core