Austin, Texas-based country/rock group Milton Mapes went through a dramatic metamorphosis between their first and second albums — from inducing headaches to creating unnoticeable background music.
Milton Mapes writes songs about the West, and although their lyrics are poetic and show expertise and insight into the Western United States, the music, for the most part, doesn’t seem to match in quality. Their debut album, “The State Line,” introduces Greg Vanderpool’s gritty voice and the group’s uninspiring sounds.
The first track, “Used to be Enough,” is a song about an unsatisfying love that tries to be emotional but fails as soon as a percussion instrument sounding like a rattlesnake emerges. But this song sounds heavenly compared to the next track, “Down By You.”
“Down By You” can be played at full blast to purposely annoy much-hated neighbors. It is a scratchy, muffled tune with lyrics that are yelled and a droning, deafening guitar playing the same chord over and over.
The remainder of “The State Line” is a little easier on the ears. In “Lubbock,” Vanderpool’s voice is almost soothing, but the song has about as much variety as the Slim-Fast diet plan. The same guitar/drum melody plays repetitively throughout the track like a broken record, and this sent my level of irritation up the wall.
The mood then turns to slow and soft, except for the second half of “Numbers,” which showcases a fast beat that rests on the line between fun and annoying. The last track, “Quick-Eyed Love,” has fast percussion that, like “Lubbock,” is repetitive. Otherwise, the songs are sweet and relaxing. This is the safest way for Milton Mapes to go, because although their slow tunes aren’t quite breathtaking, they are much easier to listen to than the rapid, headache-inducing noise in their fast music.
The band seems to have realized this just in time for their second album, “Westernaire,” which is mostly slow and quiet. On the tracks that do speed up a little, the improvement from irritating to catchy is evident.
“Westernaire” boasts creative lyrics about feelings and life in the West, but they are so abstract that they tend to confuse instead of inspire. It’s likely that the only person who understands these songs is Vanderpool himself, who writes all music and lyrics for Milton Mapes. The words are like diary entries, free-flowing feelings without any explanation of the related events. The only straightforward song is “A Thousand Songs About California,” which is a nice tribute to the state: “Some go for money. Others go for love. / Some wanna be the last ones who can sit and watch the sun go down / So if you make it to those golden mountains / Tell my good friends I’ll be seeing them around.”
The quiet nature of “Westernaire” is a nice break from “The State Line,” but each track on the former is indistinguishable from one another. Since the music fails to jump out, the album will best function as background music for a quiet social gathering or as a relaxation tool.
Greg Beets of The Austin Chronicle said the Milton Mapes “plays the kind of music you warm up to gradually.” But in my opinion, music should reach out and sweep the listener away the minute it is played. Captivating music normally captivates immediately, and after the first play, Milton Mapes is just noise.
I doubt I’ll listen to Milton Mapes again, but if you’re willing to wait for weak music to grow on you, there will be an opportunity to give Milton Mapes a chance at a live performance this month. The band will be playing on Jan. 27 starting at 11 p.m. at the Samurai Duck, located at 980 Oak St.