Cast Spells

Bandcamp's Best Discovers: "Bright Works And Baton"

Thu, 17 May 2012 15:51:00 -0400

Dave Davidson, frontman of one of the most eccentrically addictive musical acts of the decade, released his creative juices full-bore on the first EP of his solo project Bright Works and Baton. At the time, Maps and Atlases had only released a couple of EPs, likely on their way to recording the impeccable Perch Patchwork. I had initially missed this release, discovering its quirky loveability only a few weeks ago.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://castspells.bandcamp.com/album/bright-works-and-baton-ep” data-mce-href=”http://castspells.bandcamp.com/album/bright-works-and-baton-ep”&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Bright Works And Baton (EP) by Cast Spells&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;
By no means should Cast Spells be construed as a diet version of M&A. Davidson’s characteristic warble is alive and well, adding a timbre that is virtually impossible to replicate. In fact, Cast Spells doesn’t deviate too far from the quirk of M&A, but highlights Davidson’s folk subtleties over the complex instrumentation and composition found in previous and subsequent M&A records.

That’s not to say Cast Spells is musically simplistic. Instrumentation is actually quite varied and grandiose, and unexpected changes in time signature give the EP a fresh perspective on the folk genre. Sauntering along at its own relaxed pace, BWaB simply has nothing to prove.

The lyrics exhibit Davidson’s trademark bite, handling a wide range of subject matter (from the obscure to mower blades to sour relationships) with a whimsically comical quality. Of course, they’re delivered by one of the most identifiable voices in music (of what I listen to, anyway).

What’s most memorable about his work, however, is Davidson’s ability to make it seem like he doesn’t know what he’s doing. On first listen, lyrics and composition can sound as though they were made up on the spot, but never sound forced or contrived. Whether this is purposeful or not, I’m not sure, but it undoubtedly provides for some entertaining listens.

On its own, Cast Spells allows Davidson to spread out and breathe – a goal that side-projects are formed to achieve, but very rarely do. Instead of forsaking the sound that makes M&A so enjoyable, BWaB capitalizes on it. It truly provides some of the most unparallelled sounds available, even if it is a few years old.

Download | Official Site | Twitter

Light & Noise Acoustic Videos from Mexico

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:47:14 -0400

Some videos shot in our hotel room while down in Mexico playing some Maps & Atlases shows, thanks Light & Noise.

SPIN Premiere: Maps & Atlases "Fever'

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:46:00 -0400

When Maps & Atlases hit the road early last year with Barsuk Records labelmates Menomena, the pairing was more than clever indie synergy. Like their Portland-based comrades, the Chicago quartet anchors its slightly bent pop tunes with impressively intricate drumming. The first track to surface from Maps & Atlases’ upcoming Beware & Be Grateful (out April 17), “Winter,” saw the Dave Davison-fronted band taking a more focused approach to its buoyant, fleet-fingered guitar-pop. Latest advance track “Fever” similarly forgoes the occasional Latin-brass or campfire-folk left turns of 2010’s Perch Patchwork, instead allowing Davison’s rounded, distinctive bray to float triumphantly over a direct, breezy concoction that feels, indeed like a fever passing. Pre-order the album here and get a bag of Maps & Atlases coffee to help you keep up with those busy rhythms.

LISTEN TO “FEVER”

Israeli Caves featuring Good Old War / Sargent House Glassroom / Terroreyes TV

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:05:00 -0400

Dave Davison performs the Maps & Atlases track “Israeli Caves” at the Sargent House Glassroom accompanied by Good Old War who also performed on the album version of the song from Perch Patchwork. Video courtesy of Terroreyes.TV

Rolling Stone Premiere Download: "Winter" the first New Track from Maps & Atlases "Beware and Be Grateful"

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:22:00 -0500

Interview with The AV Club

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:09:24 -0400

Dave Davison and Erin Elders
The band members discuss their biggest influences

Maps & Atlases formed in 2004 at Columbia College, and soon gained notoriety for their frenetic musicality, impressionistic lyrics, and lead singer Dave Davison’s unique vocals. The band’s experimental math rock-influenced sound gave way to a less abrasive folk approach on its debut full-length, Perch Patchwork, released last year on Barsuk Records. While the band may have scaled back its overt musical flair over time, it remains one of the tightest, most interesting musical acts going.

The A.V. Club caught up with Davison and Erin Elders, (guitarist-lead singer and lead guitarist, respectively) in advance of their set at A.V. Fest this weekend, to talk about some of their favorite local bands, as well as their experiences as musicians and music fans in Chicago.

The Flying Luttenbachers
Dave Davison: When we first started, early on in our academic careers at Columbia, we were finding out about so much stuff at once. Other than bands like Smoking Popes and other groups I would hear about on, like, Q101, I didn’t really know much about underground bands in Chicago.

I soon found about the whole Drag City/Thrill Jockey/Touch And Go scene, but it seemed so unattainable and unrelated to the kind of shows that we were playing. Even though we enjoyed the music, it seemed like a different thing. We were all 20, 21 [years old]; all the shows we played were with hardcore bands at American Legions.

Erin Elders: When I moved here, I was definitely aware of some of the bigger Chicago punk bands, like Alkaline Trio and The Lawrence Arms. I came here to study film, so [not] necessarily in music mode, but all of a sudden, it was like, “Oh my god, who are The Flying Luttenbachers?”

DD: Early on, we were exposed to a lot of different things in Chicago, and began looking to bands like The Flying Luttenbachers, Sweep The Leg Johnny, and 90 Day Men. I remember picking up a copy of the [Chicago] Reader, and 90 Day Men were on the cover of the music section, and reading about them was amazing. There were a lot of bands right at that time that were a part of that unattainable world.

The A.V. Club: Sure, plenty of young bands struggle to understand how to go from playing warehouses and basements to playing shows at larger venues like Metro.

DD: Yeah, there were a lot of shows that we saw that were really cool and interesting. These shows were fun, most of the bands we played with don’t exist anymore. There’s something fun, looking back on it, to romanticize that time. These shows where you see a band that’s really fun and crazy, and it’s pretty unlikely that you’ll ever see them again.

Karma With A K
DD: The one band that we played with a lot, that we still listen to, this band called Karma With A K. (Whose two key members went onto become Gypsyblood) They broke up in 2007, but they were absolutely wild. We started playing nearly every show together for a couple years. They had a Les Savy Fav-meets-MC5 thing, so every show we had with them, there was a story that came out of it. They’d use the space during their set in a really scary, exciting way. I still listen to the handful of demos they recorded that Shiraz [Dada, Maps & Atlases’ bassist] produced.

AVC: Was there a band that you played with, be it a bigger local group or a national touring act, that helped you transition from that art space scene into larger venues?

Russian Circles
DD: I feel like the one that we always thought of as our first big show was at The Texas Ballroom. We played with Russian Circles and The New Black. That was the first time anybody had written anything about us. There wasn’t, like, a bunch of press or anything, but just any acknowledgement was crazy.

Travis Morrison
EE: Somebody acknowledged us as a band. Some people watched us play. It was crazy; people were going pay attention. The other big “real” show we played early on, where we got to open for somebody, was with Travis Morrison at the Bottom Lounge. Being really big Dismemberment Plan fans, we were all really excited to play. But no one came to the show!

AVC: That probably had something to do with that famous 0.0 Pitchfork review…

EE: Yeah, it probably did.

Drag City Records
AVC: You guys have mentioned Smog and a few other Drag City groups in interviews before. Is it safe to assume you guys are pretty big fans?

DD: Drag City is a label that we have all followed for nearly as long as we have loved music. We were exposed to Bill Callahan [singer-songwriter formerly known as Smog] through exploring Drag City. We played a show at a college festival really early in the day; he played way later. Seeing him play was an amazing experience.

I’ve seen him a bunch of times since then. I saw him at the Second City Marathon last year. He only played, like, three songs; it was the middle of the day. He was sitting five feet away, with just a guitar and a mic, and there were like 10 people in the room. It was amazing.

EE: Drag City, Thrill Jockey, and Touch And Go have always been put out records we’ve obsessed over. Bands that have shaped us, but we haven’t played with … we haven’t played with any Thrill Jockey bands.

AVC: There seems to be a distance there between you as fans and you as musicians.

DD: I’d say so. I think that’s maintained from when we first started. I think we’ve remained fans of those labels and the music they put out.

Braid
AVC: Braid just played the Metro not too long ago. Maps & Atlases is sometimes grouped in with other ’90s throwback bands, many of which owe a lot to bands like Braid. Do you feel any sort of kinship there?

DD: That comparison’s made a lot, especially on our first recordings. I had never heard Braid before we had already recorded our first release. People would say, “Oh, it sounds like Braid,” and I finally listened to them, and was shocked. It was uncanny how similar my voice on those early demos sounded to Bob Nanna’s. They’re a great band. I’m glad that I’ve been able to listen to them more.

Make Believe
EE: The Chicago scene was very art space-centric when we started. I remember we went to this Halloween show at some space that existed for like, a month. Make Believe played, and the crowd was wild; it was the total antithesis of what we’d been used to.

DD: Make Believe was a fantastic band. Every time I hear one of their records, there’s a real lasting quality. You want more people to hear them. They’re different and really interesting to listen to. They take it so far out there, but in a way that’s fun. It’s easy to make music that is really out-there and weird, but it’s hard to keep it fun and natural, so that you can play it anywhere and people will get excited.

EE: That band was also really punk rock in a really interesting way. They’d have really crazy guitar parts and bass lines that you can dissect, but you could also back up and just nod your head to this cool rock song.

The Kinsellas consistently make really great music. It’s always great to run into them and talk about music; we’ve sort of become artistic peers. They’re always out there doing stuff that’s really exciting.

DD: When we tour other countries, people are really excited to bring up Joan Of Arc and Make Believe when talking about Chicago. We met a guy in the U.K. who was a huge fan of Joan Of Arc. He slept in this giant Joan Of Arc T-shirt every day for years and couldn’t believe we’d ever met any of those guys in any way.

AVC: So you got to see the inaccessibility from the other side with that. Where you go from having no idea how to access these bigger scenes, to meeting a Kinsella superfan a few years later and saying, “Oh yeah, I know those guys.”

DD: Exactly.

AVC: Are there any local groups starting up that you’ve been into lately?

DD: Gypsyblood is a new band featuring members of Karma With A K, and they’re great. The other band with a few members of Karma With A K is a band called Thin Hymns. They’re both definitely worth checking out.

I feel like there’s been a wave of new, cool bands in Chicago lately. Speaking of the Kinsellas, I think Nate Kinsella, who plays under the name Birthmark, is working on a new record.

EE: Birthmark is so good! We played in Grand Rapids, [Michigan] a couple weeks ago with this band called Brontosaurus. They’re a two-piece from Chicago. That band Heavy Times is pretty great, too. I’ve seen them a couple of times.

By Matt Byrne September 6, 2011

Light & Noise LIVE - Maps & Atlases - Austin TX

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 18:54:12 -0400

Thanks to Light & Noise for the session - CLICK TO SEE TONS OF PHOTOS

[live tv] #44 Pt. 2-4 - Maps And Atlases - The Sounds They Make / Artichokes

MORE VIDEOS HERE

Thanks to Brooklyn Vegan and Grant MacAllister for the photos of...

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 18:48:52 -0400

Thanks to Brooklyn Vegan and Grant MacAllister for the photos of Maps & Atlases from Lollapalooza - Saturday, August 6, 2011

The Link: To Serve The Song Above All Else Maps & Atlases Move in a New Direction

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 14:06:00 -0400

It’s pretty common that bands known for technical ability will push the limits of their playing with each new release, but Chicago’s Maps & Atlases latest work strives to flex both creative muscles and the ones in their fingers.

“I don’t think we were ever heavy in any way,” said lead singer, guitarist and most-bearded member Dave Davison when talking about how the band used to share the stage with the post-hardcore group Russian Circles. The band’s early work bared the signs of math rock, but now Maps & Atlases more closely resemble a folk band.

Perch Patchwork came out last summer and was the band’s first full-length offering, filled with rich, subtle instrumentation and an increased focus on Davison’s voice. Being their debut LP, Maps & Atlases spent the time to make a cohesive piece of work that builds upon their technically proficient sound.

“It was a really fun and productive way to allow the songs to take shape,” said Davison about the more experimental process to songwriting the band took with this record.

“On previous work with Maps & Atlases we would spend a long time getting ideas together to play live, and then the recording process became mostly a way of documenting that live experience,” he said.

“It was the prospect of recording and letting whatever happened happen, like if something started seeming a certain way or going in a different direction, to just allow it to go that way was only possible through this type of recording. It was really exciting for everybody in the band. Jason made everyone excited to explore more.”

Jason Cupp produced Perch Patchwork, and a warm, complex sound was formed – one which draws influence from as many directions as genres in their hometown music scene. Cupp worked with Davison in 2009 for his solo work under the name Cast Spells, and after exploring these new approaches to writing brought the artfully arranged sound to a full band context. The result builds off the Cast Spells EP, with engaging, unorthodox percussion and melodic form catchy enough for a pop song.

“My most enjoyable musical experiences right now come from when I’m not necessarily identifying with the musicianship, but more with the music.”

“It was really fun, it was something that wouldn’t have been possible before this time,” said Davison. “Making an album with as many intricacies as this one has would have cost a fortune. It would have had to be a totally different production 10 or 15 years ago, but we were able to do it in our practice space and in my parents’ house, getting friends to help out with it.”

Horns and strings take up room formerly dominated by two-hand guitar tapping, but while they may have moved out from under the math rock label there has been no dumbing down of their sound. If anything, the complexities are now just more subtle, wound into the fabric of the song with great care.

“We had some idea prior going into it where strings and horns and whatnot would go, but it was my first time seriously working with instruments that I couldn’t mess around with on my own,” said Davison. “It was definitely a trial and error process with that, there are so many interesting things that can be done with other instruments that you can’t think of when you’re thinking with a guitar.

“I think we’ve just gotten better at layering things and playing together more tightly where it doesn’t seem crazy and random. Still, I think the most technical guitar parts live definitely are some of the newer songs,” he said. “Layering lots of different instruments hopefully allows someone to get more lost in the overall song rather than focusing specifically on what a guitar is doing.”

The band wants to avoid the feeling of isolated tracks playing together, instead arranging the record’s many layers as complimentary elements.

“My most enjoyable musical experiences right now come from when I’m not necessarily identifying with the musicianship, but more with the music,” said Davison.

“Sometimes it can be difficult for me when I’m listening to somebody play the guitar really well, I’ll switch into thinking about it in a more logical way rather than allowing myself to get lost in it, like [I do] with electronic or classical music.”

The band strives to serve the song, wherever it takes them. With their new composition style it could go anywhere, but it’s too early to tell what the end result will be for any upcoming material.

“I have been continuously writing and recording stuff without necessarily trying to think about it in the context of what it’s going to be,” said Davison. “There definitely is new material, but I’m not exactly sure in what way it’s going to come out. I think we’re at a weird place where it’s hard to talk about what’s going to happen next just because you don’t want to necessarily think about it too much as far as the end result right now, more focus is on the process, the creative side of it.

“We don’t have a specific political agenda or message, when you’re writing from your experience you definitely feel excited when people can connect their experience to that, to have a positive association with the music,” he said. “I feel weird about overly contextualizing our music, telling people how to think about something. My strongest associations with music that means a lot to me I’m sure is 100 per cent off from what the artist originally intended, and that doesn’t really matter to me, on either side of it.”

Story by: Colin Harris
Photo Credit: Drew Reynolds

Maps & Atlases cover "Summer Breeze"

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:56:58 -0400

Maps & Atlases cover “Summer Breeze” by Seals & Croft at the Threadless warehouse

What better way to kick off Undercover: Summer Break than with a pair of Chicago institutions? Here, Maps & Atlases—a Chicago band that released its excellent full-length debut, Perch Patchwork, on Barsuk last year—met us at the massive Threadless warehouse. The T-shirt giant’s headquarters is maybe even more fun than you’d expect: They have a basketball court, a grill, and a giant robot. The band absolutely nailed Seals & Crofts’ 1972 hit “Summer Breeze,” and it made us all feel fine. Special thanks to Lance and Colleen at Threadless for hosting the taping!

Pigeon Live from SXSW / Invisible Children's Silver Series

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 19:48:02 -0400

Maps & Atlases playing the song ‘Pigeon’ for the Take Away Shows. Filmed at SxSw festival, for Invisible Children’s Silver Series.

Filmed by Derrick Belcham
Produced by Sarah Schutzki for la Blogothèque
and Nada Alix, Kenny Labbacher et Alex Collins for Invisible Children

Bright Works And Baton Free Download All Week

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 20:25:33 -0400

Sargent House is featuring the Cast Spells EP as their “May We Introduce You” feature as the free Download all this week so now you can get Bright Works And Baton for FREE . While you are at it you can check out the split EP with Good Old War. In other news Maps & Atlases will be going on tour with RX Bandits and Zechs Marquise in June/July. Dave will be performing Cast Spells songs for the July 21st show on that tour in Chicago. SEE ALL TOUR DATES HERE
Just click Download to get for free.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=”http://castspells.bandcamp.com/album/bright-works-and-baton-ep” _mce_href=”http://castspells.bandcamp.com/album/bright-works-and-baton-ep”&amp;amp;amp;gt;Bright Works And Baton (EP) by Cast Spells&amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Breakthrough Radio: Cast Spells Live Session & Interview

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:52:00 -0400

David Davison stopped by Breakthrough Radio in New York on 4/19/11 while out on tour with Maps & Atlases for a bit of a chat and an acoustic session of his Cast Spells songs.

Take A LISTEN HERE
00:00 Cast Spells on BTR Live Studio
01:21 Potted Plant
04:51 Interview
09:08 Vampire
11:56 Pioneer Scalps
14:38 Interview
15:32 American Quilts
17:40 Interview
21:18 A Badge
24:08 Interview
28:17 Glamorous Glowing
30:08 Interview
32:50 Finish

I made a Mix to Benefit Rock For Kids - Please Bid On It

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 00:34:00 -0400

This Friday 4/29 there is an event to benefit Rock For Kids, and if you can’t attend you can still bid on different bands and artists special made Mixes. Above is a picture of mine (still working on it! ). So if you can’t make it to the Rock For Kids mixer please know you can bid for mine or others. It’s a great cause and all proceeds go to benefit the organization. So, Place your bids here! and help spread the word about Rock For Kids if you can.

NYC Show was fun.

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:17:57 -0400

Perch Patchwork, the debut album from Maps & Atlases, is perhaps the best record you didn’t hear in 2010. With folk-rock immediacy and lush arrangements, it’s an album in the truest sense, diverse yet cohesive. The songs range from radio friendly (“Living Decorations” and “Israeli Caves”) to experimental (“Carrying the Wet Wood”), but none stray far from pop palatability. And whether frontman Dave Davison’s expressive blend of singing and croaking endears you to the music or pushes you away, it is undeniably unique and memorable. So, on Tuesday night at The Bowery Ballroom, it may come as no surprise to fans that Davison, positioned center stage, is the lasting image from the show.

Beginning with his solo introduction on “Pigeon” and ending with barely audible vocal flourishes on the show-closing “Was,” Davison’s appearance, unkempt with arguably the longest hair in the room, and musical contributions stood out. This is not to say, however, that the rest of the band faded into the background. Shiraz Dada (bass) and Chris Hainey (drums) commanded a rhythm section that navigated through shifting time signatures while Erin Elders deftly finger-tapped complex guitar riffs. These talents emerged on selections from earlier, math rock-centric EPs You and Me and the Mountain and Tree, Swallows, Houses, but also during the larger portion of material from Perch Patchwork, especially the showstopping “The Charm.”

Nevertheless, Davison, with few words for the audience but visible gratitude, provided the night’s best moments. During an adamantly called for encore, he explained that while Maps & Atlases rarely do covers, they decided to perform the Elvis Costello song “Radio Radio.” And although the selection seemed odd at first, Davison’s adaptable voice handled the melody surprisingly well. It’s this apparent connection to classic-rock roots mixed with technical proficiency that makes this band challenging yet shamelessly enjoyable. —Jared Levy

Matthew Embree Cover's Cast Spells - A Badge

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:00:07 -0400

A really beautiful cover done by my dear friend Matthew Embree of a Cast Spells song “A Badge”. Thanks a lot Matt.

Horatio Sanz + Phil Thomas Katt + Cast Spells = Awesome

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:07:00 -0400

What happens when director Phil Thomas Katt & Horatio Sanz get there hands on a Cast Spells song? Well weird videos happen. And we love it. Thanks to PTK and Horatio for their glorious contributions.

Cast Spells, Maps & Atlases & Teri

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 21:40:00 -0400

It was nice to finally get to see Teri Gender Bender’s band Le Butcherettes play live recently at SXSW. Here is a clip of the first time we met her over at Sargent House where she joined in along with the rest of the guys in Maps & Atlases to play a Cast Spells song called “Glamorous Glowing”

Alison Wadsworth covers Cast Spells

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 21:29:00 -0400

oh thanks Alison!

Cast Spells only Show at SXSW 2011

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:13:09 -0500

Cast Spells will be playing the Sargent House & Rodriguez Lopez Productions official show this year at SXSW - Saturday March 19th at Emo’s Annex. Doors at 7:15pm Lineup Below. (Badges/Wristbands) Pay at door is first come first serve. Cast Spells on at 8pm.

Native
Cast Spells
Gypsyblood
Therapies Son
Zechs Marquise
Adebisi Shank
Le Butcherettes
Fang Island
Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group