Rebecca Leigh sings. Eric Hanson plays guitar. Jeff Ball plays drums. Matt Helgeson plays bass.
Influences
Wire, Buzzcocks, Talking Heads, Blonde Redhead, Mission of Burma, Bauhaus, Sonic Youth, Neu!, Can, Pet Shop Boys, 90 Day Men, The Cure, Public Image Limited, David Bowie.....
Sounds Like
It's usually pretty embarassing when bands try to talk about what they sound like. You can listen if you wish.
Post-Punk, Post-Rock, Post-Post-Punk, what post are we at now? Is it still after the last thing or is before the next one yet? Is that bass line retro-ironic or proto-serious? I cant even tell anymore.
Maps of Norway made their live debut in early 2004 in St. Paul, MN. Formed by drummer Jeff Ball and guitarist Eric Hanson, both previous of Vespertine and bass player Matt Helgeson, late of Unbelievable Jolly Machine, the group was not completed until the addition of vocalist Rebecca Leigh. The band quickly moved beyond early influences, Blonde Redhead, Joy Division, and Fugazi to develop their own distinctive, moody voice. What I mean is Maps of Norway are not merely a simple retread of styles from early 80s UK, this isnt just something you can slip easily in your collection to be enjoyed leisurely; you need to come to this recording on its own terms.
The rhythm section, which was obviously fed huge portions of rock dynamics as children, uses Helgesons rubbery bass and Balls whip-snap drums to carve out a large space of sound for Hansons atmospheric guitar lines which sketch out melodies and other coded bits of information. Rebecca Leigh brings actual singing (maybe thats even crooning) and a distinctive stage presence to the band. Oh hey, they play all this stuff live too, in case there were worries that this was a studio thing or the band were such delicate flowers that might wilt under the harsh stage lights. Out here in the middle west, we require that our gloomy rock still has to rock.
Chris Besinger
I have a good question. Or at least I think it's a good question. How do I get my very own copy of 'Sister Stations'? I almost never get to come to shows because you're either playing on a school-night (or since I'm a grown up now and out of school, i suppose I should say "work-night") or you're playing at some place with cracked-out parking that gives me panic attacks (like 1st ave)--and at the last show I was at (Uptown Bar) I didn't see that you had any albums for sale and I forgot to ask Rebexa. Soo..umm.. I want to buy a record....yeah.
That was a fabulous show you guys, so worth the wait. Great seeing you again, Eric. And I'm very glad I got to spend time chatting with Rebecca - what a doll!
Oh my gods! After this saturday, I skip town for a while!! but looking forward to yr show at Nomad (informal kick-me-out-of-town bash as well), what time do you think you Maps will be on?!?! xxxxxx
