Mazes - Mazes

Artist: Mazes Title: Mazes Catalog#: Parasol-CD-112 Regular Price: $10.00 Official Release Date: March 17, 2009 Mazes on Myspace Tour Dates Record Release Show 3/12 in Chicago @ Schubas w/The 1900s Download Poster.	Tracklist:
	Manual Systems
	Cat State Comity
	I Have Laid In the Darkness of Doubt [free mp3]
	Things I Threw In the Well
	Love to Lay
	Gas's Blacklight Village
	News from Day One
	Face Down On Forest Roads
	Heather On Heather
	Song for Helen
	Song for Luke
	Available for digital download March 3, 2009.

Mazes is the first album from a band called Mazes. The band called Mazes includes Caroline Donovan and songwriter Edward Anderson of the Chicago band The 1900s, their peculiar friend Charles D’Autremont and a select group of guest musicians from some of Chicago’s best bands.

Mazes songs are sometimes written and recorded in one long night and sometimes gather dust on 4-Track cassettes for years before being resurrected and transformed, but always come out with a palpable feeling of freshness that can only come from people genuinely having a good time making music. Recorded themselves in various studios, bedrooms and basements over the past few years – this "mid-fi" record follows a "moment of creation" philosophy where most of the songs are written and recorded on the spot, with beer.

The 11 songs on this debut are not so much departure from The 1900s’ hitherto verdant psych-pop meadow, but more a vehicle for Edward and friends to explore further musical flora and fauna.

MAZES Press!

Detour Mag: "For those who love bands that love the Kinks and New Zealand pop, Mazes would like to meet yo... The 11 songs on Mazes are a solid soundtrack for kicking back with friends on a breezy spring or summer day."

Rolling Stone: "Forget the new no-fi — Chicago band writes songs that are light and soothing as spring breezes... “I Have Laid in the Darkness,” a lonesome lullaby sure to soothe the heartbroken."

All Music Guide: "In his band Mazes, Anderson scales the ambition and size down into more intimate songs and shows he works well on a small scale, too."

NPR Second Stage: "Mazes cultivates a charming, lo-fi sound."

Ink 19: "A supple, breezy album full of hooks and gorgeous vocal harmonies."

Popmatters: "Mazes know their way around sweet harmonies."

Chicago Tribune: "Mazes is like lightly tattered bluejeans to the 1900s well-tailored, three-piece suit."

Donnybrook Writing Academy: "Borrowing equally from chamber pop and alt-country, Mazes crawl right into the musical overlap between Belle and Sebastian and Fleetwood Mac. It sounds improbable, but it’s pretty damn good... One of the year’s best debut records."

Time Out Chicago: "A lovely mix of folk and mild psychedelia, all tied together with a big, bright bow."

Smile Politely show review, photos & video

Smile Politely interview

Aversion: "It has vocal melodies inspired by Californian '70s sunshine and The Byrds...as the band cross-breeds the flightly indie-pop of Trembling Blue Stars with a folk-pop stability."

Neighborhoodies: (Thursday Tab) "Reminiscent of wonders like Mazzy Star and Mojave 3."

You DIG It: "A hidden gem of Chicago’s indie folk rock and psychedelic music scene is an accomplished group of muscians, going by the name Mazes... The group writes simple songs, but simple songs written in a priceless fashion."

New City Chicago


MAZES Bloggers...

100B
KEXP
Popsense
Advance Copy
Sound Bites
The Wheel's Still In Spin
Indie Rock Cafe
Count Me Out and again
Fingertips
Culture of Me
Quiet Color
JP's Blog

Click on image above for full version in hi-res.
More hi-res photos: 1 2 3