MAPS & ATLASES Beware and Be Grateful [Barusk] On their second full-length set, the members of Chicago-based band Maps & Atlases again take an approach that frequently defies easy categorization. It’s a collision of styles and genres that combine pulsating tempos with quirky off-kilter pop. “Old Ash” and “Silver Self” recall the intoxicating essence of Paul Simon’s Graceland, with each song incorporating the infectious shuffle... 

MAPS & ATLASES Perch Patchwork [Barsuk] Their band’s name to the contrary, the members of Maps & Atlases don’t always indicate in which direction they’re headed. As the follow-up to their 2006 EP Tree, Swallows, Houses and last year’s You & Me & the Mountain, Perch Patchwork finds this unusual quartet dabbling in eclectic styles. In doing so, they clutter their arrangements with odd effects and skittish tempos, making it clear...