Star Maps

The Los Angeles-based band Star Maps deliver a potent sound that effectively complements the three-minute power pop song structure, with plenty of hooks, vocal harmonies and memorable choruses in a concise package. While the band's influences -- which range from Guided By Voices and Mission of Burma to Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer, among others -- can be heard throughout their music, it's never obvious or heavy-handed. Their new 9-song debut record captures the live energy and exuberance of Star Maps at their most immediate, with production that brings the songs themselves into sharp relief. The propulsive rock-n-roll exhilaration of 'Coelacanth,' followed by the classic power pop-as-epic stylings of 'Pomona,' and later shifting into the quirky, dance/grunge strut of 'What's the Matter' all reflect both the band's stylistic diversity as well as their attention to concise arrangements and infectious hooks, musical and lyrical. A choice cover version of Best Coast's 'Goodbye' is a natural fit within the Star Maps pop rock paradigm. With their debut record, Star Maps prove they can bring the rock like the best of them and make it stick with the listener. And they are just getting started.