If Maps & Atlases is guilty of anything, it’s releasing an upbeat single in the middle of what is arguably the most dreary of the four seasons: winter. While most of us are still wallowing in Justin Vernon’s “jagged vacance thick with ice,” the Chicago-based quartet lures us out of hibernation with a toe-tapping anthem fit for the summer months. These bandmates have undoubtedly had their fair share of unconventional winters, which qualifies them to deliver a message of “salt covered shoes” that leaves fellow Midwesterners nodding in agreement.

Departing from the more stripped-down and experimental folk quality of their debut Perch Patchwork, the band delivers a second full-length album which promises to be a bit more “bundled up” and pop-driven. Beware and Be Grateful will be released via Barsuk on April 17, but you can catch the whole crew at The Bishop in Bloomington this Thursday (TODAY!) the 8th. Download the single here.

Ann