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Gig Review

Maps / The Strange Death of Liberal England
London, ICA

Article written by Ged M - May 7, 2007

I have my suspicions about machine-composed music played live (I want my artists to sweat for my ticket fee, not push �play� and take a snooze) but Maps are a revelation of kinetic energy. Songs written in James Chapman�s bedroom take on an epic, anthemic tone ('You Don't Know Her Name' being a perfect example) when played by a bunch of mates on real instruments. Songs like 'Back + Forth' are transformed when they're being pummelled into shape by drums and an extra snare; soft becomes loud without losing any of the melodic beauty contained in the song. The space-pop of 'It Will Find You' takes on a mesmeric quality when the bombardment of sound is matched by the explosion of stage lights while 'Don't Fear' is soulful and shoegazey, with a big Postal Service wash of noise. There�s not much of this � about 35 minutes � but it distorts and deforms, in the best possible way, the pristine songs from the impressive �We Can Create� album.

Maps are well matched with their support band. The Strange Death of Liberal England are an orchestral melodrama, from the banners that they parade in place of between song banter to the cascading sound that fills every square metre of the ICA like some mathematically calculated symphony. They start standing silently in line until all is still and then they explode into loud and aggressive life, with the same physical energy and elaborate arrangements as the Arcade Fire. Current single �A Day Another Day� is a sculpted highlight but the last song, a post-rock epic on which the singer, charged on electricity and adrenaline all night, plays guitar with a cello bow, is similarly outstanding. If their energy continues to live up to their inspiration, they�ll definitely be a band to watch.

Links:
http://www.myspace.com/mapsmusic