CD Review: Black Map - "Driver" EP
If you think that putting former members of dredg, †††,
The Trophy Fire and Far into a room and having them record an album would
result in something absolutely wonderful, you’d be correct. The result of such
a collection of musicians with stellar resumes - guitarist Mark Engles (dredg),
singer/bassist Ben Flanagan (dredg, The Trophy Fire) and drummer Chris Robyn (†††,
Far) - is Black Map, and said album is their debut EP, Driver. First things first, Driver
is only four tracks long, and really, that’s about the only downfall of this
album. But as they say, beggars can’t be choosers, right? Driver is proof great things can indeed come in small packages
because at a mere four song clip, this is a true showcase of what Black Map is
capable of - scads of angular, lofty guitars and soaring, astounding vocals cascading
through volatile waves of stunning sonic landscapes and incredibly lush
atmospherics (“I’m Just The Driver,” “Gold”). Standout track “Head For the
Hills” sounds like the best Catch Without
Arms b-side dredg never released, but
honestly, all four of these tracks can be considered highlights. If you miss
bands like Far or even Thursday, or if you just need a new favorite album, then
Driver is the best answer you’ll find
anytime soon.
Grade: A
Go Download: “Ropes”
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