Out of Boston come Medical Maps with their new single, ‘Modern Magnets And Miracles’. Taken from their most recent album, ‘This Is That’, the track is laid back and languid, guitar-led with vocals that transport the listener away on a dreamy cloud.
‘Modern Magnets And Miracles’ feels like a lyrical mind-dump of the thought permutations travelling musicians go through when they’re on the road. Left to their own devices while travelling from town to town, from one gig to the next, exhausted from having to set up and perform, then pack up and leave for a different place each night, not knowing for sure just how many people they’re going to perform to, it’s easy to see how they could wonder about it all. Is it worth it? All the paperwork, the extra business that goes along with the performances, all the admin…but then – when performing, it’s all worth while. The same thought process could be applied to any long-term endeavour – is it worth it? As they say in the song,
Come inside, Take your time, 10 years was too long
We should let it go, They’re too old, and the young won’t understand anyway
But then –
Crowds surf and we stay inside as they part and I find this peace
This ride has been good so far while the zeroes carry on and on
Medical Maps bring sounds of prog rock, indie pop, and folk to their sound, all of which can be heard in ‘Modern Magnets And Miracles’. Comprising Afshin Beheshti, Eric Provonsil, Greg Mahoney, Phil Mahoney, and Ethan Herschman, while additional vocals on the track were provided by Tess Herschman, Ruth Mahoney, and Honey Mahoney.
The group grew out of the Fender Rhodes of Afshin, and the slide guitar of Eric; the pair have been writing together since 2012, and after experimenting with a variety of rhythm sections, they eventually settled on their current lineup over the period of 2016 to 2019. ‘This Is That’ is the band’s third album, following on from their 2017 debut, ‘Soft on Crime’, and ‘Be Whelmed’ in 2019.
The 14 track ‘This Is That’ was recorded at The Bridge Sound and Stage by Alex Allison, and produced by Medical Maps.
‘This Is That’ is out now and can be streamed on Spotify. You can also buy it on digital album or CD from Bandcamp. Watch the video for ‘Modern Magnets And Miracles’ below, and find out more about Medical Maps and their music online on Facebook.
