Maps & Atlases

Trees, Swallows, Houses EP

[4.5/5]

As cliché as the expression “Blink and you’ll miss it” is, if you adapt it for your ears, it’s the best possible advice to preface listening to Maps & Atlases’ Trees, Swallows, Houses. The schizophrenic, note-bending attack brought on by the talented four-piece leaves not so much as a moment of music wasted, and it’s because of this economy of recorded space that special attention must be paid to the incredibly layered rhythms of each song. "Everyplace Is A House" displays both tact and extravagance in its four-minute span, as transitions from twinkly riffs to impossibly intricate chord progressions amidst the warm-but-frantic vocals are smooth as can be. A more subdued "The Most Trustworthy Tin Cans" has its charm and place, too, combining jazzy guitar leads with an underlying energy felt in every strum and tap to the hi-hat. Seriously-don’t blink. (SARGENT HOUSE) Jordan Rogowski