Mr. Maps

WHY ISN'T ANYONE TALKING ABOUT THESE GUYS?!

Mr. Maps are an Australian instrumental band that focuses on some sort of orchestral math rock lite.  Highly calculated and expertly produced, this is an excellent release that gives just as much room for piano and stringed instruments as the usual rock arsenal.  A pretty unique release as far as im concerned in the realm of odd timed flim flam.

Wire Empire (2011)

Bruce Peninsula

Canadian ensemble Bruce Peninsula have a good thing going. Interesting percussion, great choir style soulful vox and nice song structures.  Lest we not forget the guitar because it certainly holds its own not being content to play chunky chords but some sprightly figures. The music shifts at a pretty steady clip so theres no chance youll be caught snoozing. Seriously though im done writing long descriptions just know that this is some great stuff for your ears.

A Mountain is a Mouth  2009

Open Flames (2011)

Chairlift- Something (2012)

Thanks to Abigail for reminding me about these guys. Chairlift are an electro-pop trio-turned- duo that made it big with that darn Bruises song off their first album, Does You Inspire You. I never checked out that album, and was only vaguely aware of them because of that iPod commercial. Then, in January I read a glowing review for their follow-up album, Something, and gave a few songs of theirs a listen, and almost immediately, I forgot about them.

My pal Abigail recently brought them back to my attention yesterday, and I was very happy to quickly rediscover a neat band I almost let slip through my mind-cracks. Lovely vocals reign supreme and sit on top of some interesting synths and guitars that provide nice pop song structures; chill catchiness ensues. Their video for Evident Utensil from their debut is awesomely trippy (definitely check it); Amanamonesia was the first single off Something and the video is awesomely weird; Sidewalk Safari is track one. Its just awesome:



something
does you inspire you

Riding the Diplodoc - Dilettantes Like Lions / Crystal Fuxx

Updation:

Our beloved Riding the Diplodoc have dropped on us another wonderful gem in the form of the Crystal Fuxx EP. With this release comes a more focused sound and some better production. Intact are the quick changes and nicely written melodies. Have to say that as metaghost so eloquently put it "Sadly no reverse-reverb. Or helicopter sound effects." which I understand is a joke but it does seem that some of that youthful personality is missing, a minor gripe really. snatch and grab.

Crystal Fuxx EP 2012

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O yes this is what I'm talking about 2011! Riding the Diplodoc are a whole mess of fun math rock flip flying through your ear holes. Completely instrumental and you wont mind in the least. They have a lot of really great atonal riffs that come together and truth be told really don't sound like they should work in the least. I believe if im not mistaken these guys are from Russia. I have to say my experience with Russian math rock (yes there is a fairly lively scene) has been spotty at best. This gives them an awesome boost in the best direction. My son actually just woke up and asked what I was doing so he will now be taking over my review:

Maeson "it make me feel really good. I think I'm going to become a drummer like you when I grow up"

There you have it.

dilettantes like lions

Renaissance Sound - Renaissance Sound (2012)

Illinois group made up of former members of Loose Lips Sink Ships. This is a bit of a departure here from the formers math happy tap a thon. Renaissance Sound dish out heaping helping's of instrumental Jazz rock/Math rock with an almost a lounge quality. My favorite portion has to be the vibraphone and violin working together or playing at odds with one another. Its makes for some beautiful moments where all instruments are fighting for their own spotlight. When its hard to pay too close attention to one thing because everyone is doing something amazing you know that you've hit straight gold. Did I forget to mention there's occasional vocals? yep  and they are sweet sauce. Do it for yourself this is a group that will produce a great many wonderful things in the future.

ps. track 2 "dereks journey" at 1:15 I swear that bass line sounds eerily similar to the bass line in  "Penelope" by Pinback.

Band Camp it up!

Jean Jean

French Instrumental Math Rock. Really fantastic stuff. Nothing too technical going on yet certainly not boring by any stretch. Totally out of left field on this one wasn't expecting this style.  Excellent production as well which give this an extra edge.


Jean Jean

Nicolay- City Lights Vol. 1.5; Here (2005-06)

Its easy to say that Phonte Coleman has really found his own voice and sound since leaving Little Brother. Although Phontes voice goes a long way, a big part of his sound comes from the connection he has with Dutch producer Nicolay. I love all the things these two make together, and recently realized I had dug deep into Phontes earlier work, but had neglected checking further Nicolay.

City Lights 1.5 is a 20 track album of mostly instrumental hiphop tracks; a few have guest rappers rhyming or giving Nicolay a shoutout, but for the most part it is tight, chill beats and nice instrumentation. Here came out a year later, and is an 11 track collaboration he produced and wrote, but it features vocals throughout, focusing on the vocal melodies, rhyming and harmony over the longer instrumentals on City Lights. Both are very nice; heres track 4 on City Lights, Light it Up:



vol. 1.5
here

The Speed of Sound in Sea Water

Updation:

Underwater Tell Each Other Secrets (2011)

Yes I understand I am late to the party on this newest release by these guys. Im very pleased to report that they have amped up the math and tightened up their sound in the process. Vocals seem to be less cutey cute than last time and more memorable. All in all a stronger release which I had chalked these guys up to fading into the nethersphere after their first too. Really digging on this.
____________________

A Spritz of Math and a heavy dose of Pop-Rock. These gentz seem to be garnering a nice little name for themselves. Pretty catchy stuff if your ask me. The curious screaming during some of the songs doesn't really seem to make much sense as the music is pretty indie pop-rock.  The vocals are center stage in this affair and do a nice job of fleshing out the music. 

Red Version

POSTMADONNA

http://postmadonna.bandcamp.com/album/introducing-postmadonna


see that link above? click, listen, and love it.

yours
Acerola

Innerty - Tabula Rasa

Ok. So heres the deal. I am kind of back and forth on these guys. Innerty is from France and play a sort of hybrid beast Progressive Death Metal and Math Rock. Yes there are death metal vocals, so if thats not your thing looks elsewhere. Musically these dudes rip the landscape up in fine fashion when they are focusing on their progressive side. Trouble brews when they fall back on tired metal conventions in their songwriting. If this sounds at all delicious in anyway to you then I suggest you snatch it up.

Tabula Rasa (2012)

Here We Go Magic

I was watching an episode of Portlandia, and in one skit an acupuncture recipient was being treated to some awfully inappropriate music. The band kept switching songs, and one of them was titled Tunnelvision. It reminded me a great song of the same name by Here We Go Magic, a band I remember Ed Droste recommending on the Grizzly Bear blog. I liked them a lot from the videos I checked on youtube but never got around to checking their album.

Here We Go Magic make nice folky psychedelic pop with cool rhythms and great catchy vocals. Their third album is due in May according to their tumblr page, and in the meantime I suppose its time to check out their 2010 release, Pigeons, as well as what I haven't heard from their 2009 self titled debut. This track, Fangela, is from their self titled:



here we go magic
pigeons

Graph - "EP 2" - 2009

This EP contains nearly everything I like about music in one convenient, easy to swallow package.

Graph is your typical trio of guitar/vox/bass/drums. They are expert songsmiths, and they alternate with ease between full-band assaults and sparse sections that let the instruments speak to their full potential.

The vocal phrasing is interesting, the melodies are catchy, the sounds are compelling, and the songs make me feel things. Extra instruments are added to fantastic effect - I can't help but smile every time I hear the horns drop in during "Framed with Gold."

While some of Graph's other material is definitely worth checking out, with "EP 2" the band has put together a really tight, valuable work.

Graph - "EP 2" is up on Bandcamp.

Stations in the Valley

http://stationsinthevalley.bandcamp.com/

This comes recommended from Zefs Chasing Cara (one of my favorite math rock artists) so obviously it had to be checked out. Really nice driving indie rock with math rock flirtations. free download at the bandcamp. muah

Yeah Great Fine - Yeah Great Fine (2010)

Portland boys always seem to know how to mix the genre's into a delicious slurry of awesome. Yeah Great Fine continue this general position by angling themselves in a fairly unique way.  Lets cheat and at the fore front say guitar led indie rock. On top of this is a healthy dollop of sweet sweet pop music. This is mostly evident in the vocals and harmonies...kinda summery beach boys type progressions (the simple ones that is)  I can hear you thinking already  "jesus dude this sounds like your describing 100,000 bands" but wait theres more.  This is where the Math Rock steps in. A lot of it is yes the drums being awesome and all over the place but there is certainly some rhythmic complexity weaving in and out with the guitars.  Some of the songs do come off a bit generic when they dont try and stick their head above water to soak in the math rock rays of the sun as much as they should. Thankfully the EP rectifies this issue and injects some seriously saucy rhythmic jaunts. Makes me all the more excited for a full length.   

ps. im catching like a sun shiny maps and atlases with a less tap happy bent.

Yeah Great Fine (2010)
Circadian EP (2011)

miRthkon - Vehicle (2009)

Angry Zappa? Avant-Prog? Jazz-Metal? R.I.O? ugh you prolly get the idea at this point. super tight compositions going on.

vehicle (2009)

Noxious Foxes - Legs (2011)

 Instrumental Math Loopers from Brooklyn NY. Surprising sense of melody with songs that are so rhythmically interesting.  Excellent use of pedals where it doesn't feel like your getting pummeled  over the head with odd noises for heavens sake. Technical without drawing too much attention. Super amazing stuff. 


Legs (2011)

Gifts from Enola - S/T (2010)

These guys tend to run in the same circles as a lot of really boring post-rock bands. At first, I lumped them in with some of the worst offenders. However, they actually have some pretty interesting guitar work and nifty rhythms. I wish their songs were 4-5 minutes long instead of 6-10, but I suppose that comes with the territory.

My favorite thing of theirs is their 2010 self titled EP (5 songs, 35 minutes). It loses a little steam during the fourth song. Production is a little heavy-handed in trying to make them sound HUGE, but overall good. These issues aside, a lot of the is really good. I heard a snippet of the first song, "Lionized," during an NFL game one time. So at least they have a good agent!

They have some older and newer material. Quality ranges from good to boring, but I haven't really listened to their other stuff too closely.

Check it on their Bandcamp, and if you like it, mediafire links abound.

Russian Circles- Enter (2006)

I met a new friend tonight, and once Don Cab was mentioned in our conversation we went math on each others asses. I showed him some Stage Kids and Mister Metaphor, and he in turn told me to check a bunch of bands.. handsome boy modeling school, pelican, isis, and above all Russian Circles. I know nothing of them, and though I have seen them referenced here at the Swords, I have never checked a review of any of their albums. I know they are a trio; that is it. Listening in a second; track one off their first album, Enter:



enter

Cloud Nothings - "Attack on Memory" (2012)

Before this album, I didn't get the buzz behind Cloud Nothings. They consisted of a young dude with a laptop kicking out the occasional catchy song with stretches of grating, immature material in between.

And then "Attack on Memory" happened.

And how it happened. This album is a ripper.

After two releases as a solo artist, Original Dude recruited more dudes to join his band, and after some extensive touring, hired Steve Albini Dude to record them.

Whatever happened to this band on the road did them wonders. Subtle but edgy and propulsive instrumentals occasionally boil over into pure frenzy, while Original Dude's impassioned emo-y vocals soar over the whole mix. Most bands I listen to seem to have an amateur steering the vocals/lyrics/songwtiting ship, so it is an absolute treat that Cloud Nothings have packaged interesting instrumentals with a frontman achieving at high levels.

I tried to find a stream of the album somewhere, but instead I found a link to download:

Cloud Nothings - "Attack on Memory"

Macho Muchacho

Math Rock from Ecuador.  Fairly new as of last year. Couple solid tracks on the bandcamps. I sense a pretty amazing full length in future.


bandcamp