After a review of Dan Weir’s Town and Country, I was told Scott Gagner who was part of that band, had his own album. Hailing from Minnesota, Scott Gagner started his career as a drummer in a few California bands before he created his own entity. Cartographer is a fine example of good songwriting in the classic style of REM or Wilco, with a rich melodic sound. A big standout here is “I’m Not Following You” with it’s ringing guitars and perfect pop rhythms that will bounce around in your head for days. Layers of piano, moog synths and drums make “Love Triangle For Two” a pleasant mid tempo diversion. It gets more alt country with the ballad “Sound Rebounds” and “Waiting” have a Wilco meets Pearl Jam feel. “Suburban Girl” has nice energy, with guitar, synth melody and handclaps that make this song lots of fun. This album is too long to be considered an EP, but by the end feels like it needs more music (leave them wanting more I guess). I look forward to a follow up.
Cartographer ‘s Site | CD Baby | My Space