Formed in 2004 when its members, Dave Davison, Shiraz Dada, Erin Elders, and Chris Hainey met in art school at Chicago’s Columbia College, Maps & Atlases has gained notoriety for their ability to take the traditionally intimidating and often all-too-arty sound of math rock and make it entertaining and accessible to the masses.

Audiences are wowed by complex rhythms, both from Dada’s virtuosic tapping techniques on guitar and from Hainey’s pulsing percussion. Their unique guitar work was largely influenced by a trip to Spain that Davison took where he was inspired by the techniques used on flamenco guitar. Buildling upon these techniques, the band had been able to give their music an unmatched sound and texture.

It must be said, though, that Maps & Atlases go beyond just fancy guitar techniques. Rather than using their unique talents to simply impress for the sake of impressing, they use them as the foundation for great songs. Whether you know anything about guitar techniques or not, it all boils down to great music. They just happen to be using gourmet ingredients. 

In an interview on www.guitarplayer.com , Elders explained his take on the band’s music saying, “We feel the individual parts aren’t nearly as important as the whole they create. I’d like to think our songs are like a good painting or film. You can see it once, and enjoy it on the surface, but the more time you spend with it, the more the little details start to emerge.” Amen. 

Maps & Atlases are on tour in June, mainly focusing on Canada and the East Coast, with this summer’s 80/35 Music Festival one of the lucky few Midwest stops. The band’s third album, "You And Me And The Mountain," was released on Sargent House in July 2008, earning comparisons by some to TV On The Radio. You can find it, along with their second album, "Trees, Swallows, Houses," on iTunes. Or get a sampling of songs on their myspace page at www.myspace.com/mapsandatlases, which includes the song “Israeli Caves,” a favorite, among others not available on either album.