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Hey! Listen to Memory Map!

Do you like Circa Survive, Closure in Moscow, and other upbeat, energetic bands who aren’t afraid to flaunt some pop-rock influences? Do you like quirky art-rock like TV on

9 years ago

MemoryMap_TheSkyAsWellAsSpace

Do you like Circa Survive, Closure in Moscow, and other upbeat, energetic bands who aren’t afraid to flaunt some pop-rock influences? Do you like quirky art-rock like TV on the Radio? If you answered yes, Memory Map may be for you. Hailing from Bloomington, Indiana, Memory Map, in their own words, consists of four equal parts: Matthew Tobey, Michael Hart Dixon, Joshua Morrow, Michael Gregory Bridavsky. Featuring three guitars, (one acting as a bass), a three-piece drum kit and everyone on vocals, the band weave guitar driven pop-rock songs with subtle depth and considerable hooks. Head on over the jump for more analysis and your first listen!


Their debut album, Holiday Band, was released in May of 2011, while their latest, The Sky As Well As Space, came out in June of this year. The gap between releases can be attributed to a certain famous cat. Band member Michael Bridavsky is the caretaker of internet sensation Lil’ Bub, the most wonderful creature in the world. With such demanding schedule, the band have had to be flexible in writing and recording, but the final product was definitely worth the wait.

The Sky As Well As Space fuses energetic guitar-pop with art rock sensibilities to create a musical tapestry that fills a void in my musical habits that was previous sated by Closure in Moscow and TV on the Radio. The jangling rhythm guitars and glassy smooth leads are instantly infectious, and the variety of different vocal styles on play add dynamics to the songs, ranging from upbeat and bouncy to slow and emotional ballads.

Tracks range from the ethereal opener ‘The Celebrated Summer’, to the instantly catchy ‘Magnetic Center’, and the emotional ‘Isolation Is Ours’ and ‘Order In The Waves’. Each track sounds unique and different, and the songwriting and compositions are top notch and inspired. I hear so many different influences on display here it’s hard to put a finger on them all, but I think it’d be easy for most anyone with broad musical tastes to find something to appreciate.

I realize this might not be for everyone, but I hope that your tastes extend beyond heavy music and you can approach something like this with an open mind. You might just find your next favorite band.

-CK

Heavy Blog

Published 9 years ago