If there is anything that has been forgotten in the whirlwind atmospherics of the instrumental post-rock milieu, it’s that there are times when genres can be of benefit. For better or for worse, it seems that all the lines have been blurred beyond recognition, leaving both critics and fans of music to wonder just what there is left to deconstruct (and hopefully reconstruct). From rock to pop, from metal to punk, there are so few stones left to turn in the nearly endless amalgamation of types, styles, motifs, and sub-genres that have come to serve as the (anti-)definition of post-rock. Yet for all of the attempts to move past commonly accepted notions of song structure, a pattern still has emerged: remove the lyrics (most of the time); construct some intricately swirling guitar lines; include some syncopated drum patterns; and develop a strong sense of dynamics (the bigger the crescendos, the deeper the troughs of quiet).
Nevertheless, for all of the intentional genre confusion that exists, there are occasions when the sound just works, when everything falls into place, and the songs actually reveal themselves to be more than extended jam sessions amongst some friends. And with the release of their excellent sophomore full-length, The Wick and the Fire, Maps can stake a strong claim to a place in the post-rock pantheon. Brimming with intensity, passion, and some killer “lead-lines-as-the-lyrics” guitar work, this record sets itself apart from the masses in that, while the expected components are present, they’re tweaked, strengthened, and given fresh legs. True to their name, this band possesses a direction and focus often not found in their contemporaries: with each song, Maps has the destination in sight and looks forward to bringing the listener along on their journey. Maybe it’s their attempt at (relative) brevity in comparison to like-minded acts, but there’s something refreshing and satisfying with this band’s material, as made evident on tracks like “The Words Will Grow,” “Reverse Telescope,” and “My Desire to be Napoleon.” There’s a certain sexy swagger to Maps’ pop sensibilities - though the genre-blurring still takes place, there’s cohesion on The Wick and the Fire that more bands should seek to emulate.
-- Adam P. Newton
