Caught Live: Maps & Atlases + Adebisi Shank @ Whelans, Dublin

Chicago four-piece Maps & Atlases have amassed a fair following in Ireland over the last few years, and with good reason too: a brace of solid EPs, and this year’s debut album Perch Patchwork showcase a steadily-evolving sound that's equally influenced by math rock and folk. The complexity of their earliest work has latterly given way to an increased focus on hooks, which certainly hasn't hindered their progress. This show in Whelans marks their Irish debut, and there’s close to a full house here to greet them. The not-inconsiderable presence of Adebisi Shank on support duties ensures that they’re kept on their toes.

For a band renowned for their technical proficiency and dexterity, it’s worth noting just how warm and tuneful tonight’s set is: the guitar lines are as infectious as they are deft, the instrumental flourishes never getting in the way of the tunes. ‘Living Decorations’ from the new LP is a prime example of this balance: hyperactive fretwork, thumping percussion and rousing vocals all add up to an anthemic number. Frontman Dave Davison has a distinctive voice - similar perhaps to TV on the Radio’s Kyp Malone - and it’s an important part of the band’s overall sound, lending their compositions much of their pop-oriented accessibility.

‘Pigeon’ may borrow cheekily from The Clash’s ‘Train In Vain’, but it has a peppy, sprightly bounce that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Vampire Weekend record; ‘The Charm’ envelops you with an off-kilter vocal and entrancing percussion; while ‘Witch’, from 2008 EP You And Me And The Mountain, remains arguably their finest moment. The quartet come across as a truly humble bunch too, repeatedly thanking Adebisi for their support set, and they end the night with a nice touch as they down mics and take to the centre of the crowd for an acoustic encore. This maybe doesn’t quite come off (albeit not for want of attentiveness on the part of the Whelans punters), but it’s still a pretty neat move. Maps & Atlases, then: don’t leave it so long next time around.