PAPERMAPS

Since last year's Inferior Ghost, Toronto outfit Papermaps have lost two members and then added another, but they're bouncing back from these lineup changes with a fall tour in support of a new album.

The record is called Darker Lights, and it will be out on October 8 through Sparks/Universal. This release date falls partway through the band's newly announced fall tour, which will find them travelling through Canada's eastern half. They have eight shows in all, including appearances in Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Quebec.

Fans can expect to hear some new sounds from the band at these gigs, since a press release notes, "From recent shows it's clear that Papermaps are moving away from their straight power pop roots and towards a textured and dream-like sound, influenced by bands such as Tamaryn, Besnard Lakes and Spiritualized."

See the schedule below, and scroll past that to hear the premiere of the moody, fuzz-filled rock cut "The Hedonist."

Tour dates:

09/28 Ottawa ON - Avante Garde Bar

09/30 Moncton, NB - Plan B

10/01 Halifax, NS - Gus' Pub

10/04 Fredericton, NB - Cellar Pub

10/07 Montreal, QC - Divan Orange

10/11 Guelph ON - TBA

10/12 Barrie, ON - Foxx Lounge

10/17 Toronto, ON - Handlebar - Exclaim!

After a poppy self-titled debut, Papermaps’ music has been getting darker, gritty and more angry (take a listen to “The Memory Song”).
Last year, they announced the departure of keyboardist Wendy Leung and bassist Todd Harrison. As a result Darker Lights is more guitar fuelled and I’m okay with that. The guitar licks of “Shadow Theatre” reassured this notion that the band still lives on.
“I’ve Closed A Door” could arguably sound filler, but producer Dean Marino experiments with guitar pedals creating an effect much like beat drops in EDM. “One by One”” has noticeably different vocals. They’re higher, I assume it’s Betty Dimo taking the reins, which in the past have always been Marino’s. “Poor City” is the anthem of all those friends struggling to afford living in Toronto, yet are happier not to be in their small home towns. “Nobody Gets It”, the single from Papermaps’ Inferior Ghost EP gets a slower and moodier rework.
The highlight of the album is the petulant closer “Vanauley Walk”. The name of the tune comes from a sketchy part of Toronto known for gang activities and shootings. It sums up Darker Lights nicely with atmospheric textures and a hooky chorus, despite the lyrics being about watching someone tumble to their death. - Ride The Tempo Blog

As befits a band led by a producer, Dean Marino, Toronto’s Papermaps were hard to pin down on 2011’s Papermaps and 2012’s mini-LP Inferior Ghost, from puissant power-pop to Radiohead-esque esoterica. But following two members’ departure, Marino has settled into directness. His guitars are still highly effected, catching ears, and the reconstituted band now crunches, booms, and rails on the gnarly “The Edge of China Town” (Toronto has a big/good one), “The Memory Song,” and the more streamlined, hooky “The Hedonist” and “Shadow Theater.” One still hears ‘90s Radiohead rackets like other atmospheric Canadians Dears, Stars, Besnard Lakes, Arcade Fire, etc., but the quartet’s immense stew steers past the edge of bombast into cavernous passages that match Marino’s wholehearted crooning, vowels extra-held—see “One By One” (Brace Yourself).” It’s bigger, bolder, and blasting—but beautiful, too. (sparksmusic.com) - The Big Takeover Magazine #73

So many bands, so little time. Discover the Editor's choice of local talent from New York, Toronto and Montreal.

Toronto

We could use the metaphor of Google Maps discarding traditional city plans to draw a picture of Toronto-based indie band Papermaps, hence rock bands like this one are more of a rarity in our modern music days. The band is now out with a third record in career, Darker Lights, released through Sparks/Universal on October 8, having nothing to offer but solid, grounded rock music, at times grunge, at times atmospheric, but always melodic. Featured at the CMJ Music Marathon this week, Papermaps indicates the path.



Formed in 2009, Papermaps have gone through a lot of internal changes since the release of a first self-titled effort, which was followed by EP Inferior Ghost in 2012. “I feel that the new sound better reflects our respective personalities on the current roster”, states frontman and founding member Dean Marino. “We all have a similar musical background when it comes to classic rock and modern rock, and I feel that rock sound is where the music converges into what you hear on Darker Lights”, he continues.

Papermaps is not entrenched in one particular style, changing from one song to another, reflecting musical tastes that are all over the map. Still, it is only and purely rock music. “Classic rock forms the strongest musical foundation of the band”, explains Marino. “We've all had a period in our lives where we did nothing but listen to classic rock from the 60's and 70's, and we're all pretty good armchair historians when it comes to that topic”, he continues. However, musical influences come from completely different niches and genres, band members citing love for acts like PJ Harvey, Portishead, Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin, Spiritualized, Radiohead, Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine. “I think all of our various influences combine with the classic rock background to give you what you hear now in Darker Lights”, affirms Marino. And that is also what makes it distinct in its own genre.



“I wanted something that resonated with me” recalls Marino about origin of the name, Papermaps. “I liked ‘Papermaps’, because paper maps are an ancient technology that is slowly becoming obsolete. I’ve always been fascinated by them”, he continues. “I think when all the paper maps in the world are gone, when we’ll completely be relying on GPS and digital maps, I feel like the world would lose something."

The world would definitely lose something if rock-infused indie band would come to disappear as well. The band actually being it’s journey under another name, which was recorded at Chemical Sound, the renowned analog studio owned by Dean Marino, which shut its doors in 2012. “I wanted to do some experimentation there and just use some stuff that I would not normally do with clients”. By clients, pointing at the artists Marino has been working with, Born Ruffians, Constantines, Black Keys, Tokyo Police Club among others.



In a day and age where bands come countless through an industry which has lost direction, being a professional musician certainly comes with its load of difficulties. “The proliferation of bands and the accessibility of recording technology has made it very hard to get recognized by the general public”, states Marino. Major musical events like CMJ offer the possibility for bands to exposes themselves both to the industry and the public. “Now, because there are so many indie bands, no one knows what to listen to anymore, or what to spend their money on”, Dean continues. “Even labels, with dwindling investment funds, don't really know what or who to invest in either”.



“The music business is currently struggling to maintain some sense of cohesive financial infrastructure left over from before it collapsed”, he states. “It's tough for bands who seek the label route, because they no longer receive the same financial support when they get signed. Gone are the days of fat six figure recording advances that would help a band buy gear, pay for rent, pay for tour costs, and record, now it is up to the individual artist to come up with the product themselves and shop it to various labels for distribution. “Still, I believe the collapse of the old-school music industry to be a good thing, as it leaves the future wide open for artists”, he declares.

However, hope is not lost for indie bands as well “It has been a challenge to get recognition, especially in Toronto, which has thousands of bands making music all at once”, states Dean Marino. However, when times are harder, people come together stronger. “There are literally thousands of bands and small communities of artists who help one another”, he says. Then, if you ever get lost, you can always use your papermap.



Christelle Saint-Julien, Music Editor for The Buzz and Musicrazycologist - IX Daily Blog

As befits a band led by a producer, Dean Marino, Toronto’s Papermaps were hard to pin down on 2011’s Papermaps and 2012’s mini-LP Inferior Ghost, from puissant power-pop to Radiohead-esque esoterica. But following two members’ departure, Marino has settled into directness. His guitars are still highly effected, catching ears, and the reconstituted band now crunches, booms, and rails on the gnarly “The Edge of China Town” (Toronto has a big/good one), “The Memory Song,” and the more streamlined, hooky “The Hedonist” and “Shadow Theater.” One still hears ‘90s Radiohead rackets like other atmospheric Canadians Dears, Stars, Besnard Lakes, Arcade Fire, etc., but the quartet’s immense stew steers past the edge of bombast into cavernous passages that match Marino’s wholehearted crooning, vowels extra-held—see “One By One” (Brace Yourself).” It’s bigger, bolder, and blasting—but beautiful, too. (sparksmusic.com)
- Big Takevoer Magazine (print only) - Jack Rabid

Papermaps – Inferior Ghost EP (Sparks Music)

Toronto singer/producer Dean Marino is the backbone behind this atmospheric guitar pop quintet, and this limited edition vinyl/CD follows up their 2011 self-titled debut. Once again, their indefinable, ever-changing personalities are apparent, as each of these six songs recalled a different band. To wit, “There Are Wolves” resembled a lighter Nada Surf, “Break” brought to mind Bends-era Radiohead, and “Reaction Formation” (with its “Good Vibrations”-like intro) evoked Sloan and The Posies. - The Big Takeover

On August 28th, 2012 Toronto Indie band Papermaps released their Inferior Ghost EP, stylistically the album is a shift, but Papermaps make a natural progression on this EP. The last single released from Papermaps self titled album was the track “Complicate Things”, which can serve as an indication where this EP takes us, metaphorically and musically. It is nearly impossible to discuss this release without mentioning the giant elephant in the room, which leaves us just a sliver of space. In February 2012, Chemical Sound closed its doors for good after twenty years of operation, Dean Marino the lead singer/song writer in Papermaps owned the studio with Jay Sadlowski who is also a musician, they served as the owners, operators, engineers and producers of this studio. The EP represents as it has been stated in some reviews, perseverance through difficult times.

Inferior Ghost starts of with the track “There Are Wolves”, which was also the lead off single for the EP. The song is a gripping attack on the modern world, with lyrics such as “Sometimes I feel like this town didn’t have the patience for me” and “We were just waiting/we were already there” the song builds and sucks in the listener with its catchy hooks and clever arrangements, the song is crafted and produced so well it is not only a great way to start off the EP, but one of the best sounding recordings that the band has produced. “Wait For Me” follows next, it is a moodier and frantic piece featuring strong choruses, the song overwhelms the listener with its synthesizers that linger in the background of the verses as the choruses pick up into a precise rhythm with plodding basslines and guitar riffs. The title track is a slow, yet unrelenting track, the song has a lot of space, with its ringing guitar chords and pulsating basslines it attracts the listener, while lyrics such as “Well you say it is not a just world” and “You’ve got to take what you’ve got and make the most” make you think. It serves as not only the middle point of this six song EP, but also as the shift in the album musically and lyrically as it questions overcoming difficult circumstances weighing the bad with the good.

“Break” is the fourth track found here on this EP starting us off for side two of this EP which was released on vinyl and CD. The song is another change of mood adding more variety to the EP’s dynamics, on this track Marino sings in a voice which sounds almost like Thom Yorke of Radiohead at certain moments. “Nobody Gets It” picks up the pace a bit, it was along with two other tracks (“There Are Wolves” and “Reaction Formation”) recorded half at Chemical Sound in Toronto and half at Vespa Studios, which is also located in Toronto. The EP ends with the “Reaction Formation” which ends the album on a positive note, the middle section of this song is reminiscent of the band Television with its dual guitar attacks. The song ends the progression of this EP which as stated earlier is about perseverance. Musically the EP is focused, with strong Pop hooks and while this whole EP can be traced back to our Chemical Sound filled elephant friend it can also be applied to just about any situation in life. Inferior Ghost is an EP that everyone can relate to, it lets us know with its meaningful songs, that we can react and move forward in a new and different direction. The title of Papermaps EP may be "Inferior" Ghost, but after one listen you can tell it is everything but. - REV ROCK

I’ve helped many bands get their start in Ottawa, and in some cases Canada and the world. If I was your stockbroker and picking this percentage of winners you’d be a billionaire (give that some thought!). I do this because I am driven to evangelize emerging talent. You can see some of the fruits of my efforts on the “memorable shows” link on our web site (http://zaphods.ca/?page_id=396). Last night two relatively unknown bands put their energy into promotion and, without the help of the media, put on a wonderfully successful performance. With their hard work, and ours, we presented a fabulous show, enjoyed by all who were here.

Over the years, I’ve sat at my usual corner of the bar and had so many bands tell me how much they love this club. Bands that thank me profusely for giving them their first chance. Bands that tell me they’ll play here when they get really, really big. That rarely happens. There are a multitude of reasons why and I’m not going to explore that discussion here. It is what it is.

A few months ago, when the Junos were in Ottawa, I politely declined to be a part of their “Junofest” because I had bands I wanted to showcase. These were bands I wanted Ottawans to see. If I had passed on these shows the bands would never have been introduced to Ottawa at that time. Thus, I created “Eug-Knows Fest” up against the juggernaut of the Juno-dominated media and voila, I presented two bands: Papermaps on the Friday and The Bright Light Social Hour on the Saturday. I informed the media. They didn’t inform you. But those of you that showed up vindicated my belief in these bands and were treated to unforgettably great performances.

So today, when I confirmed that Papermaps and The Bright Light Social Hour are coming back to play our humble club, I am overjoyed. I am thankful to these bands, their agents and their managers and to all the people that first discovered them at Zaphod’s. This is good news. Heard Before The Herd.

Cordially,

Eugene Haslam
Founder/Owner of Zaphod Beeblebrox

(Papermaps – August 17, The Bright Light Social Hour – October 23.)
Tickets on sale at: http://www.ticketweb.ca/snl/VenueListings.action?venueId=10807 or by phone 1.888.222.6608 - Zaphod Beeblebrox

by Elena Gritzan

The beginning of the week is not normally associated with concert-going, and that is one of the greatest things about Elvis Mondays, a long-running weekly showcase of indie talent at the Drake Hotel. No cover and little to no announcement of the performing bands makes for an adventurous and often surprising evening of music. This week’s edition was a little different (it was actually Elvis Monday-on-a-Sunday), as it was part of a month-long residency by local band Papermaps. The party poppers handpick their opening acts, different each week, and then play a set of their own feel-good music.

The night began with Ryan Guay, frontman of Street Pharmacy, playing with just his acoustic guitar to accompany him. He claimed that he was more nervous playing the Drake Underground to twenty people than he was playing to 4000 while opening for Blue Rodeo the week before. If he had not said so, I never would have guessed: his vocal delivery sounded confident and conversational.

Montreal’s Jenn Mierau began the second set of the night with a haunting song using just keyboard and voice. Vocally, she sounds rich and emotive, but the first song was actually not a good indication of what you are in for later: she brings in Wurlitzer, a sampler and loop pedals to make percussive beats and swirls of sound to accent her piano-based singer-songwriter melodies. Her most recent album’s title track, “Hush”, began with layers of vocal noises to create the percussion – the total effect sounds something like beat boxing, but she builds it layer by layer right in front of your eyes.

She moved on to covers for the middle of her set, giving renditions of The Cure’s “Lovesong” and Elvis’ “Don’t Be Cruel” (the latter, of course, to celebrate the namesake of the Elvis Mondays showcase). Her covers sound strikingly different from the originals due to her inventive instrumentation and arrangements. Mierau is stunningly creative and not just musically either: her set is accompanied by live visuals and the album art is a recreation of a giant rug-hooked self-portrait.

Papermaps also started their set solo and simple, with frontman Dean Marino playing by himself, starting with “Autumn Flower”, a song he wrote earlier in the week. Normally, you expect to see a calm and beautiful solo song played with an acoustic guitar, so it added a bit of sonic interest to hear Marino’s electric strumming alongside his vocals. He launched into “Wishful Thinker” from their self-titled album, during which he was sequentially joined on stage by the rest of the band, first Wendy Leung on keyboards, then Betty Dimo on bass and Bobby Lee on drums. The transition to a louder, poppier sound changed the energy in the room and carried everyone on an optimism high through to the end.

The hooks are catchy, the lyrics relatable, and Marino and Leung’s often doubled vocals add layers of interest. They delved into some newer material from their forthcoming EP (you can celebrate with them at a release show on August 28 at the Horseshoe), and finished with “Reunion”, perhaps indie rock’s catchiest gang-vocal laden tune. Normally, “straightforward indie rock” would not be a compliment coming from me, but Papermaps embody the genre while remaining refreshingly charming and incredibly uplifting.

You have one more chance to catch their Elvis Mondays residency at the Drake: on August 6th, they will play with Leung’s side project Wendy Versus opening. - Grayowl Point

text: MICAHEL RAINE | photography: MIKE FORD

Sitting outside the Moonbean Café in Toronto’s Kensington Market, Dean Marino ponders a life outside of the music industry. “That’s the thing. Sometimes the motivation is ‘what else can I do?’ I’m not really programmed or trained to do anything else,” says the songwriter, producer, engineer, guitarist, and undisputed leader of one of Toronto’s most exciting bands, Papermaps, as he stares at a half-eaten oatmeal cookie.

It’s a fair statement. For the past half-dozen years Marino has been pulling triple duty as a professional musician, producer/engineer, and co-owner of Chemical Sound Recording Studio. One of Toronto’s premier mid-sized studios – which has been used by the likes of The Black Keys, Born Ruffians, Death From Above 1979, and Tokyo Police Club – Chemical Sound had been the centre Marino’s life since he and friend Jay Sadlowski bought it in 2005.

It was the studio’s unceremonious closing in February that gave Papermaps’ latest six-song EP, “Inferior Ghost”, a greater sense of sentimentality. As Marino wrote on the band’s website, “We decided to release an EP instead of a full-length because, regrettably, these are the last songs we wrote and/or recorded at our studio, Chemical Sound (R.I.P.). That studio is gone now, but you can certainly hear it’s ambiance and magic in this record.”

“I guess [the songs] carry a bit of emotional baggage, you could say. More so than the other material, because with the other material the future of the studio was unknown then, and I knew I would be there for another seven years at that point,” says Marino.

Along with the closing of other Toronto studios like Signal to Noise and Sleepytown Sound, Chemical Sound’s shuttering signaled a shift in the Canadian recording industry.

“If it were only one factor [for the studio closing] I think we would still be doing it because we enjoy doing it but obviously the ‘state of the industry’ played a big part. Basically, we found that we were starting to work more for less,” recalls Marino. “Chemical is a really great studio and we got to work with a lot of really great people and I don’t think our problem, necessarily, was getting the bookings. We were a medium sized facility in a world where a medium facility, there’s just no niche for that anymore.”

For the average music fan, technology’s impact on the industry has been obvious, as file sharing decimated traditional album sales. Slow adapting major labels are experiencing record losses as they fail to come up with a model that effectively embraces the industry’s new reality. Likewise, unknown artists can record at home with just a couple mics and a laptop and become stars, like Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. Caught amid this shifting power structure the studios have become the forgotten victims.

“With the, I hate to say it, but with the technology, the democratization of recording, it sort of made its impact
on the industry. Anyone can make a record now in their house that’s a pretty decent-sounding record,” explains Marino.

“What’s happening is the middle is falling out now,” he continues, “So say you’re The Walkmen or Spoon or bigger, then you’re going to have the budget to work in a studio but if you’re an indie band you’re options are to work from home for the most part or maybe go into a studio for a day to do some bed tracks and then take it home and do the rest in your house. That became the M.O. of most bands and studios can’t really survive on that model.”

Shy at first, Marino – who describes himself as “an extrovert, but by practice and not by nature” – seems to get more comfortable as the conversation goes on. Staring down at his coffee and cookie on the patio table for the first few answers, he eventually begins to make more eye contact and open up. His love of the studio and his shy demeanor make sense when he discusses his childhood.

“I’m a bit of a nerd. I was a geeky kid in grade school that didn’t get a date to the prom or whatever. So I was a pretty inward child, I’m a pretty introverted guy,” he explains before talking about his grandfather; a WWII vet and engineer who worked on Spitfire plane engines. “He was also a musician and a painter and a writer, you know, and he really inspired me as a kid. So I got a lot of that from him because there was always books around my grandparents’ and at my parents’ house too. Books on how engines work, books on nature and so on, and being introverted I just dived into that world and it really informed me.”

His curiosity about how things work translated into Marino’s early passion for music. “When I was a kid and I was listening to the radio – I used to listen to the radio a lot of and fall asleep with the radio on – when I visualized the music, I didn’t visualize the MTV video or the live band playing, I always visualized the studio.”

A childhood spent with one ear constantly pressed to a radio speaker not only resulted in a life spent insi - Quip Magazine

We’ll end on a happier note, thankfully. Unfortunately, Papermaps’ studio, Chemical Sound, closed earlier this year. More unfortunately, the Toronto-based 5-piece was part-way through recording their next full-length when this happened. He

re’s where the good side comes up. Given the creative shift that could occur with a change in venue, the band opted to wrap up what they already have and deliver it as a 6-track EP. Inferior Ghost hits the interweb August 14th and the streets 2 weeks later on the 28th. Now if you’re an early adopter and/or you like to save money (and who doesn’t?) you can pre-order the whole thing on 12-inch vinyl with a digital download for only $18. Be quick, though, because that price only applies to the first 50 pre-orders and they’re only pressing 300, all told.For complete details of the record I’ve linked to the official announcement below. For a free preview of the opening and closing tracks, There are Wolves and Reaction Formation, respectively, and to place your order hit up bandcamp.

Inferior Ghost announcement: http://papermaps.net/blog/2012/07/inferior-ghost-out-august-28th/

Papermaps on bandcamp: http://papermaps.bandcamp.com/ - Top of Our Lungs

I met up with Catherine and we walked through the streams of honking cars in the heart of Little Portugal to Of A Kind for Toronto’s Papermaps. Playing their fourth NXNE set and first ever in-store were Dean Marino (vocals, guitar), Wendy Leung (keys, vocals), Todd Harrison (bass, keys, guitar), Betty Dimo (bass, keys) and Bobby Lee (drums). I realized about halfway through their set that I hadn’t seen the band since Dimo’s first show with them; she’s looking a lot more comfortable now with nine months of shows under her belt.

They started loud and powerful, actually asking if they were too loud for the space and the multiple children in the audience. No one seemed to be complaining however. For “Complicate Things,” they distributed hand-puppets to audience members, many of whom were parents with their kids. And while there are a couple of profanities in this one, they appropriately kept it clean. Their set also included two new songs, one being “There Were Wolves.” Featuring both Leung and Harrison on keys, it just might be my current new favourite song. Working up a sweat, they joked that they were “sweating on the oldies” (fans of CBC Radio 3 will get that one). - Buying Shots for Bands

It's been a bumpy ride for Toronto rock band, Papermaps. The owner of Toronto studio, Chemical Sound and the lead singer and guitarist of the band, Dean Marino was force to close down the precious studio, where a number of well-known bands, including Tokyo Police Club, Born Ruffians and the Black Keys, have recorded material in the past. The economical pressure was felt by all including Marino, whilst the demand for recording at a professional space has slightly ebbed due to the accessibility of new recording tools on laptops or even mobile phones.

Their upcoming EP, Inferior Ghost, was one of the last efforts recorded in the studio. It is set to be released in August. Prior to the release, Papermaps are ready to showcase their first single off the record, There Are Wolves. The repeated chorus from the very beginning lingers throughout the song, leaving a significant impression. The lyrics of the song seem to be referring to the tough time that Marino has gone through, while indicating the plaintive feeling in the line such as this town didn't have patience for me. (Click here to listen to the track via Exclaim! Magazine)

Papermaps are heading towards the bright side with this new release as well as showcases during NXNE and a residency at Drake Hotel Underground in July. More to look forward for the band, rather than looking back.

NXNE showcase
June 14th Rancho Relxo
June 15th Football Factory (SonaBlast/NXNE Private Party)
June 17th Of A Kind (NXNE in-store show) - Music Psychos

Toronto's Papermaps have had a rough go of it the last little while, but have come through with a new EP and you can hear the brand new single "There Are Wolves" right now.

Bandleader and owner of Chemical Sound, Dean Marino was forced to close down the Toronto studio recently. The group's upcoming EP Inferior Ghost marks one of the last recordings to be made at Chemical Sound, and according to a press release, "The band has rallied around their new EP as a symbol of their ability persevere though difficult times."

Despite the loss, the group have managed to embrace "a major stylistic change" on Inferior Ghost, which is scheduled for an August release. Papermaps will also be bringing their live show to NXNE in June, followed by a residency at their hometown's Drake Hotel in July.

Check out the upcoming tour dates below and scroll to the bottom of the page to hear the brand new track "There Are Wolves" from Papermaps.

Tour dates:

6/14 Toronto, ON - Rancho Relaxo (NXNE)
6/15 Toronto, ON - Football Factory (NXNE)
6/17 Toronto, ON - Of A Kind (NXNE)
7/2 Toronto, ON - The Drake Hotel (Residency)
7/9 Toronto, ON - The Drake Hotel (Residency)
7/16 Toronto, ON - The Drake Hotel (Residency)
7/23 Toronto, ON - The Drake Hotel (Residency)
7/30 Toronto, ON - The Drake Hotel (Residency) - Exclaim!

Papermaps performed their unreleased Inferior Ghost EP in full for the first time Thursday night. "Reaction Formation” and "Nobody Gets It" came early in the set, as did the EP's melodic, hopeful first single "There Are Wolves." The sweaty venue was no match for the band's cool, collected sincerity. Frontman Dean Marino's strong vocals teamed up gorgeously with keyboardist Wendy Leung's bell-like voice. Bassist Betty Dimo held down the bottom end with Bobby Lee on drums, while an energetic Todd Harrison (and his ‘fro) switched between guitar and synth.

Papermaps has announced a residency at The Drake Underground for the month of July with shows on July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23, and July 30, followed by a tour in August. - Sticky Magazne

There is no exact way for me to figure out how many bands I booked in 2011. Basically, here’s how my job as a talent booker at the Rancho works: Every single event or show that happens at Rancho is booked through me, but not every one of those shows is a TWM event; sometimes other people come in and use the room. Factoring those shows out, I figure I put on around 235 shows last year at Rancho — seriously, that’s a lot of shows and a lot of bands. Factoring in the festivals, I would say that is about 800 sets of music curated by TWM at Rancho this year. From those approximately 800 sets, I’ve picked 10 that stuck with me for being the most memorable sets of 2011 at Rancho.

They may have been memorable for the occasion, the performance, being monumental, or various other reasons. I explain my choices below. But man, what a year it was at the Ranch — when you see some of the omissions you’ll understand that statement for yourself.
...
#4: Papermaps for my 30th birthday: Oct 29th with the Love Machine, Honheehonhee and Santa with Muscles

I gave serious consideration to putting this in my #1 spot — all of the next four slots, actually. Papermaps were fresh off playing CMJ, Halifax Pop Explosion, and a bunch of sets in between, and they returned to Toronto and a stage they know well at the Rancho. They did so dressed in awesome Devo Halloween costumes and they rocked the living fuck out of it! The thing aboutPapermaps is they are an indie-pop band who have kinda got fed up with always playing poppy music. That night they absolutely shredded it on stage. It was a triumphant return from their biggest tour as a band so far, an amazing memory for my 30th birthday, and a snapshot of a band setting up for big things in 2012.
... - TwoWay Monologues

2011 was a landmark year for Canadian music, with some even calling it “The Year Canadian Music Broke”: a seriously ridiculous run for the long-list at this year’s Polaris Prize, The Sheepdogs landing the first indie band cover of Rolling Stone, Arcade Fire’s multi-award ceremony sweep – the list really does just KEEP ON GOING…

Join us in our first radio episode of the year with Indie Love Radio as we count down 2011's best Canadian hits – perhaps you missed out on some of them yourself, hit play and find out!
Countdown:

30. Ryan Hemsworth – Castle In England
29. First Rate People – Someone Else Can Make A Work Of Art
28. Digits – Rachel Marie
27. Dream Jefferson – Purple Hearts
26. Papermaps – Reunion
25. Kalle Mattson – Thick As Thieves
24. Lovely Killbots – Time For Change
23. Spectre Hearts – Devil
22. Matters – Get In Or Get Out
21. The Cautioneers – Heaven Help Us
20. The Dirty Nil – Fuckin’ Up Young
19. The Black Devils Brigade – The Killing Business
18. Austra – Lose It

... - theindiemachine.com

By Jessica LewisOriginally known as Dean Marino's project EX~PO, in the last couple years, he's expanded it into a four-piece band, toured and made it a collaborative project, announcing the name change last October. These ten songs, written by Marino, arranged by the band (including Wendy Leung, Todd Harrison and Bobby Lee) and recorded in Marino's Chemical Sound studio, are carefully crafted pop rock songs that call to mind comparisons to the Sam Roberts or Meligrove Bands. The album's hit single, "Reunion," and "Can't Make a Living" both feature energetic group vocals, catchy choruses and poppy piano lines. While "Complicate Things" tries to be sexy, hearing the line, "let's consummate this, I feel like shit" doesn't really do it, so next track "Exit" does a better job, with more edge. Papermaps plays it a bit on the safe side, but there are darker lights trying to get through, and they should.
(Sparks) - Exclaim! Magazine

Papermaps is set to release their debut album under this moniker, though you may already be familiar with the band, formerly known as EX~PO. The structure of the band is still the same, with Dean Marino fronting the band alongside Wendy Leung (keys, vocals), Todd Harrison (bass, synth) and Bobby Lee (drums). Together, they’ve put together a great collection of songs.

Kicking off with “Angela,” the album already grabs the listener’s attention. The power-pop continues with “Reunion” and “Can’t Make a Living.” In the latter song, as Marino sings, “Guitar’s alright, but you can’t make a living,” he seems to be singing an indie musician’s anthem. Brit rock influences manifest with synth-heavy “Complicate Things,” while “Exit” is a rockin’ tune. There’s an undeniable swagger to Marino’s vocals that’s at the forefront of the upbeat tunes, alongside bright sounding synths and keys, all tied with frenetic guitar work.

As the last three songs of the album are slower, the pace changes with “You Glided Down,” followed by “Wishful Thinker,” with heartfelt lyrics and vocals that tug at the listener’s heartstrings. The album ends with “You Are My Gallows,” a song that carries a bit of a classic feel, with a warmth from the group chanted vocals. The 10 songs comprising Papermaps’ self-titled release are all varied yet flow together nicely, no doubt partly due to Marino’s experience co-heading up Chemical Sound. It’s an album that ties together different influences, while remaining fresh with a defined sense of self.

Papermaps will be available April 19th via Sparks/EMI. The band will also be celebrating the release at Sneaky Dee’s on April 29th. Be sure to check them out then! - Buying Shots For Bands

Damn you, Mitch Fillion, and your awesome Southern Souls website! You find the best bands before I even have seen them more than once or twice!

In case you’re wondering, this is one of those bands: Papermaps. I’ve almost accidentally stumbled onto a copy of their album, and I’m nothing less than impressed. A little bit rock and roll, a little bit indie, a little bit poppy, the album manages to sound incredibly professional and unique at the same time. It’s polished, but not too much so. Friggin’ well done, in other words.

Papermaps are a tough band to talk about, genre-wise. The best descriptor I can think of is ‘accessible,’ actually. They’re excellent musicians, but they don’t make it too hard to get to the meat of what they’re trying to say with that instrumentation. That’s tough; a lot of jazz guys go their entire careers without learning that lesson.

They veer from indie-dance-pop, reminiscent of acts such as Tokyo Police Club and Phoenix, to more mellow and melodramatic material–I’m looking at you, tracks 7 & 8–slower, but almost always with that driving piano in a way that honestly reminds me of a group like Coldplay, or some of those English radio-pop groups that crop up and disappear, Snow Patrol, Interpol, whoever the Hell. But once again, it’s always friggin’ good. I mean no disrespect by comparing you to Coldplay, Papermaps. I just mean this is a great album, and it should be on a major label; there are millions of people that would love this, if they only got a chance to hear it.

I’m struggling with what to call this sound, though. Post-rock is more introspective, more jazzy, but alt-rock is harder. There’s a lot of space in music like this. And that makes it hard to classify. I think someone in the band used to listen to a lot of Genesis. Maybe that’s why I’m gonna go with pop. Pop is accessible; pop is precise. Pop also usually means quality.

And Papermaps are nothing if not quality.

Guitar’s all right, but you can’t make a living. You said it, brother. - Sounds Like Work

Damn you, Mitch Fillion, and your awesome Southern Souls website! You find the best bands before I even have seen them more than once or twice!

In case you’re wondering, this is one of those bands: Papermaps. I’ve almost accidentally stumbled onto a copy of their album, and I’m nothing less than impressed. A little bit rock and roll, a little bit indie, a little bit poppy, the album manages to sound incredibly professional and unique at the same time. It’s polished, but not too much so. Friggin’ well done, in other words.

Papermaps are a tough band to talk about, genre-wise. The best descriptor I can think of is ‘accessible,’ actually. They’re excellent musicians, but they don’t make it too hard to get to the meat of what they’re trying to say with that instrumentation. That’s tough; a lot of jazz guys go their entire careers without learning that lesson.

They veer from indie-dance-pop, reminiscent of acts such as Tokyo Police Club and Phoenix, to more mellow and melodramatic material–I’m looking at you, tracks 7 & 8–slower, but almost always with that driving piano in a way that honestly reminds me of a group like Coldplay, or some of those English radio-pop groups that crop up and disappear, Snow Patrol, Interpol, whoever the Hell. But once again, it’s always friggin’ good. I mean no disrespect by comparing you to Coldplay, Papermaps. I just mean this is a great album, and it should be on a major label; there are millions of people that would love this, if they only got a chance to hear it.

I’m struggling with what to call this sound, though. Post-rock is more introspective, more jazzy, but alt-rock is harder. There’s a lot of space in music like this. And that makes it hard to classify. I think someone in the band used to listen to a lot of Genesis. Maybe that’s why I’m gonna go with pop. Pop is accessible; pop is precise. Pop also usually means quality.

And Papermaps are nothing if not quality.

Guitar’s all right, but you can’t make a living. You said it, brother. - Sounds Like Work

PAPERMAPS self-titled (Sparks) Paper maps are becoming obsolete thanks to the GPS, so wisely, these Toronto piano/guitar-based pop rockers go big on heart and charm. 7 (EL) - Montreal Mirror

Toronto-based four-piece Papermaps’ blend of indie rock, art rock, experimental, shoegaze, and electronica has earned them comparisons to the likes of The Shins, Spoon, Radiohead, and MGMT.

The band was formed by producer/songwriter Dean Marino, and they rehearse, write, and record in Dean’s studio, Chemical Sound (The Black Keys, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Tokyo Police Club, Born Ruffians, Sweet Thing).

Today marks the release of Papermaps’ self-titled debut album.

Listen to “Reunion,” right-click here to download an MP3 of the track, and click here to check out Papermaps’ official site. - ExploreMusic

Papermaps is a rock quartet out of Toronto formed by producer/songwriter Dean Marino; owner of Chemical Sound Recording Studio, which has hosted such acts as Tokyo Police Club, The Black Keys, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, and C’mon. The band recorded in Marino’s studio, which is known for its atmosphere and a large collection of vintage music gear. Listen a few times to hear the vintage recording equipment translate on their latest release. The band has been recently featured on CBC 3, and on the acclaimed Americana Roots Music Authority website, No Depression.

Inspired by bands like Spoon, Big Star, Television, the Beatles and MGMT, Papermaps incorporates indie, experimental, shoegaze and electronica styles into a power/new wave genre of pop. Stand-out tracks are “Angela,” with fast-paced, rich orchestration; “Forever” is romantic and melodic, while “Wishful Thinker” features bare guitars and soulful lyrics. Ending the album seamlessly is the psychedelic, rootsy, guitar heavy “You are my Gallows.”

— Aysim Ela - The Reflector

We’ve been talking about Toronto’s Papermaps a lot recently – from their stellar “lefty” installment of The Weekend Sequence, to one of our latest episodes of WIRED.

The band dropped their debut self-titled full length back in April this year, sans music video, and when we last caught up with them the band members were asking fans to think of a message to send to their 16-year-old self and to record video clips of them with their messages and send them to the band. The result is a true DIY project, with Papermaps frontman Dean Marino editing the clips together to create the official music video for lead single Reunion which you can check you in the embed below.

For more on Papermaps and their self-titled LP, hit them up online at their website, or “like” them on Facebook – and stay tuned peeps! There’s sure to be plenty more Papermaps news coming down the pipeline. - The iNDiE MACHiNE

October 20, 2011 - Arlene's Grocery 3:00AM: Another Canadian Blast at CMJ has come to a successful close!

Now in it's fifth year, the Canadian Blast CMJ showcase has become a relative institution. The annual pre-show mixer quickly filled Arlene's with Canadian and Internationals alike before BIKINI took to the stage and officially opened the proceedings. With an interesting development story that has brought the members from rural BC, to Montreal, to New York, the group have picked up new fans all along the way. Their CMJ set was a concise thirty minutes that clearly illustrated the depth of thought that this group puts into their writing.

PAPERMAPS took the stage next, arriving just in time after driving straight down from Toronto that morning. Always complete professionals they quickly loaded in and within minutes were playing to a full room of CMJ delegates and New York based fans, many of who had come in early to specifically see them. We had never seen the band perform live before but we were really impressed by singer Dean Marino who is an incredibly charismatic frontman. - Canadian Blast

Dean Marino and Quick Before It Melts first crossed paths back in 2008 when he sent me some of the music he was making as EX~PO, and then again in 2009 when Tin Star Orphans (another project of his) released their debut album. In fact, his name has popped up as recorder, producer and friend to a great many of the bands that have been featured here through the years, so he’s certainly no stranger ’round these parts.

The other day, my friend Matt dropped me a line to say hi, and suggest I check out Papermaps, whom he heard played on XM Radio recently, and thought would be right up my alley. He was right; they’re a pretty a pretty cool piano-based pop outfit that I am totally geting into. I wasn’t too surprised to find out that Papermaps used to be the aforementioned EX~PO, with Dean Marino still the man behind the magic. Joined by Wendy Leung, Bobby Lee, Betty Dimo and Todd Harrison, Marino expanded the basic blueprint behind EX~PO to flesh out and round out the full band sound of Papermaps. Their self-titled debut was released in April of this year (pretty much right under my nose) and I’m sorry to say that it’s taken me this long to get hip to it (thanks again, Matt).

The funny thing is, I’ve heard “Reunion” a number of times on CBC Radio 3, and kept thinking, “Hey that’s a pretty cool track, I should find out more about these guys”. I find myself saying that a lot, actually, and I’m starting to learn my lesson. Their hand-made/fan-made video for “Reunion” has a pretty cool back story. Papermaps asked their fans to send in video clips of themselves answering the question: “If you could send a message back in time to yourself at age 16, what would you say?” The result is below:

What message would I want to tell my 16 year old self if I could? Today it would be “Check out the Papermaps LP as soon as you hear about it… and don’t be an arse.”

Papermaps are playing their last show of the year at Toronto’s El Mocambo on December 3, bidding goodbye for a bit while they finish up work on their sophomore LP. Maybe I’ll be more on the ball about record #2. Sorry, Dean. Forgive me? - Quick Before it Melts

Papermaps is a Toronto-based band that reminds me a lot of Vancouver’s Said The Whale. It has something to do with their vibe that brings out the similarity. They released their self-titled album April 19 and have been promoting it endlessly. I have to get my hands on that album and I think you should too.

In the official music video for “Reunion”, the fans get involved by sending in clips of them showing what they would tell their 16 year old self. Put them together with a few clips of the band performing the song and you get this! What would you tell your 16 year old self? - Fistful of Sound

8. Papermaps- Papermaps

This is both a great album to listen to in your headphones and if you get the chance, to watch them on stage. In both, they present you with energetic power pop that you can’t help but love. Even their angry tracks are a riot. What makes them awesome is they’re all great musicians as well as performers. - Ride The Tempo

I’m sorry, Papermaps. I didn’t want to listen to your album because of its cover. I was wrong to do it. It’s not, like, a bad cover. Artist Miyoshi Kondo explores some magnificent ideas with gouache, and the piece unto itself recognizes our poor and downright appalling habit of mass-manufacture, expanding towards that unknown horizon. I don’t know, maybe it’s a century of our minds being swindled by advertizing into preferring bright and shiny labels and fonts, but I just didn’t take to this is based on look. So, I’m just another dumb sheep/human. However, there isn’t a cloud in the sky today and I’m feeling the power-pop like I did when I first heard the bed tracks for Twin Cinema by The New Pornographers. I generally dismiss this genus of music as being full of childish pomp, which I abhor, but Dean Marino and company have taken a year of their lives to craft a decent set of songs within an immaculate analog studio setting at Toronto’s Chemical Sound (Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, The Black Keys, Godspeed You! Black Emperor). The synth textures slap you on the belly, the guitar-and-bass lines weave capably, and the chirping background vocals respond when called to. Most of the best songs are piled near the beginning, so the album kind of reads like ADHD, but I was brought back around by the team shouting, the dipping bass and consistent kit work on final smoker You Are My Gallows, topped off with a nice ripping and bending guitar solo. I’ve got to dig out Twin Cinema while the sun is still high. - Monday Mag

Papermaps began as the band EX-PO. Producer/engineer and song writer Dean Marino first released the EX-PO album Central Meaner Street in 2008, playing the large majority of instruments on the album. Deciding to tour behind the project he assembled a band to play live shows. In between the releases Central Meaner Street and the first self titled Papermaps album, the project that was initially known as EX-PO evolved into something else. Changing their name, the first official release from Papermaps under that band name was the “Reunion” seven inch single in January of 2011. The band currently features Dean Marino (guitar/vocals), Wendy Leung (keyboards), Bobby Lee (drums), Betty Dimo (bass/keyboards) and Todd Harrison on guitar/synth. Doubling as a producer and engineer Dean recorded the first Papermaps album in between his other job which is producing, recording and engineering at the studio that he owns and operates in Toronto (Chemical Sound) with fellow musician and engineer/producer Jay Sadlowski.


In April 2011, Papermaps released their first full length album, simply titled Papermaps. Like a paper map, the Papermaps album charts into new musical territory using Central Meaner Street as a starting point, the band has currently ventured into Power Pop influenced territory. Papermaps features ten well crafted Pop songs mixed in with other elements that gives you something that keeps you on your toes. The albums opener “Angela” sets a tone for the overall album building as it progresses, it features predominately guitar/bass and drums. Near the end there is a splash of synthesizer which gives the listener a tasty bite of what’s to come. The second song featured on the album is the piano driven sing-a-long “Reunion”, which has done very well on Independent campus radio based charts, the third song on the album is the guitar driven and energetic “Can’t Make A Living” which moves the listener along the albums ten track course. “Complicate Things” is a moody yet synthesized anthemic Dance Rock track, while “Exit” is one the heaviest tracks on the album. “Coddled” is a song that starts off like a solo John Lennon outtake, reminiscent of a lullaby before it picks up in to all its loud glory, “You Are My Gallows” ends the album with a call and response dynamacism. Papermaps blurs the lines of their musical territories for a sound that is all their own.

With a one full length album completed, the band is now working on material for a second full length album that has a projected release date of Fall 2012. Papermaps have toured to support their album and have played CMJ Music Marathon in New York, two shows at the Halifax Pop Explosion, as well as touring in Toronto, Montreal and Windsor, Ontario. Following a show in Toronto in December of 2011, Papermaps will retreat into Chemical Sound Studios to focus on their next album. More info on the band can be found on their official website http://papermaps.net/.

Papermaps will play Phog Lounge in Windsor, Ontario on Friday November 19th with local acts Learning and Frontiers. Today's program featured an exclusive interview with Dean Marino of Papermaps. We talk about the bands evolution, musical influences, recording, Phog Lounge and more. The interview can be heard by downloading this weeks podcast/program or you can listen to an extended version of the interview below: - Revolution Rock on CJAM 99.1 FM

For a few months now, I've been trying to come up with a way to describe Papermaps' self-titled debut...and I've gotten absolutely nowhere. It's not that the band or the album are particularly hard to classify; indeed, they could both be defined as "pop-rock".

The problem is that that's an awfully generic description, and Papermaps are definitely not a generic band. Songs like "Reunion", "Complicate Things" and "Coddled" are pretty straightforward guitar-pop, but they're also examples of the very best the genre can offer -- they're irresistibly catchy, full of memorable hooks and choruses, and they never sound like they borrow too heavily from anyone else. Considering how well-mined their genre of choice is, that's a pretty considerable achievement. It may not be the sexiest one, of course, but if you just want something good, fun and catchy, then you'll want to check out Papermaps right now. - i (heart) music

Navigating the musical landscape on their self-titled release, indie rockers Papermaps (formerly EX~PO) chart their course with energetic power pop melodies, distorted vocals and gritty guitar riffs. Guided by chief singer and songwriter Dean Marino, the Toronto four-piece have crafted 10 richly textured tracks for an eager, spirited debut.

With propelling rhythms and swelling instrumentals, standout opener “Angela” sets the power pop tone for the first three songs of the album. Building an infectious energy, “Reunion” makes a splash with melodic piano bursts and charming group vocals, while “Can’t Make a Living” shines with its anthemic, crescendoing chant, “Guitar’s alright/But you can’t make a living.”

Marking a mid-album departure, the sexually-charged and synth-heavy “Complicate Things” veers Papermaps off its power pop course. With its dark electronics and brash lyrics (“Let’s consummate this/I feel like shit”), “Complicate Things” feels disjointed from the album’s more spirited anthems.

After regaining momentum with the nimble, guitar-driven “Exit,” Papermaps ventures along a more vulnerable path. Winding down to the fragile acoustics of “Wishful Thinker” and the meditative call-and-response rhythms of “You Are My Gallows,” Papermaps finds its strongest footing in compelling instrumentals and passionate pipes.

By Hilary Marchildon
Jun 28, 2011 - !earshot/NCRA.

Papermaps are a sensible bunch of folks who understand that the quickest and easiest path isn’t always the best one. In their self-titled record, the band shows they're adept at navigating the pop spectrum without sacrificing their willingness to explore and experiment. This is a band that has seen enough of the world to know that even the most tenacious parts of life can be addressed with both stark sincerity and a tongue-in-cheek. Complicate Things' melancholy straight-faced delivery through electro-basement synthesizers cracks the wryest of smiles; yet the pitches of Can’t Make A Living, punctuated by vocalist Dean Marino’s swelling repetition shows off the band’s ability to scale crescendos without losing their footing. Throughout the album it’s made clear that these are musicians that are familiar with their surroundings, be they jump-on-the-bed parties or heartfelt introspective moments. Papermaps have written a scenic route around popular song that clocks in under a day trip that feels like a vacation from too much mediocrity.

By Steve Marck - Southern Souls

While papermaps may sound like something new, you should already be comfortable with them. Wanting to tackle the cumbersomeness of the moniker EX~PO, the band charted a new course under a name that reflected the territory they were now in.

Where EX~PO initially began as Dean Marino working out some songs, papermaps is the realization of what evolved as he flanked himself with musicians for live performances with Todd Harrison (bass/synthesizer), Wendy Leung (keyboards/vocals) and Bobby Lee (drums) as the material took on a life of its own.

The band have a new release – eponymous in name — available on Sparks/EMI nationwide on April 19 and from the first listen, it’s evident the name reflects some serious growth and cohesion. This quartet makes no bones about being fans of great music and being inspired by it just like you and I — start to finish, this album celebrates music.

Straight out of the gate, the tracks Angela, Reunion and Can’t Make a Living make you want to don the wayfarers, put down the roof, crank the stereo and hit the open road. True to life, the album takes a darker turn at Complicate Things – a two and a half minute gem – that feels carnal. Followed by Exit, there’s a cockiness that elevates the listener’s gaze from their shoes and into the face of the track, Coddled.

True to the album’s arc, the album finishes out with three of the strongest tracks (in my opinion), that look to make sense of it all. Wishful Thinker, You Glided Down and You Are My Gallows are like the soundtrack for the journey home – where you catch yourself in those long moments staring out the window as scenery passes you by.

Just like those carefree, summer breaks when your only destiny was the next moment of joy and the trip that got you there, this album leaves you all sorts of those memories in its folds. Poetic that in today’s decision-free GPS road trips, papermaps is a delightful allusion to that world of analog travel that allowed one to be more actively involved in the journey.

Fans of Jellyfish, Redd Kross, Sloan and The New Pornographers would do themselves a huge favour to give papermaps a serious listen. There are elements of Britpop, 70’s Psych Rock, and even British Invasion in there — all the music that inspired the lush landscape of the 90’s and gave credence to the term indie.

If you’re a fan of music that celebrates music, then papermaps is definitely an album and band worth checking out.

PAPERMAPS 2011 Spring Tour Dates:

* March 12, Tranzac, Toronto (w/Silent Five and Shawn Clarke)
* April 15, Zaphod’s, Ottawa (w/The Love Machine)
* April 20, Maxwell’s, Waterloo (w/From East to Exit)
* April 22, Jimmy Jazz, Guelph (w/From East to Exit)
* April 23, The Phog, Windsor
* April 26, The Mansion, St. Catharines (w/Citizen and The Bends)
* April 29, Sneaky Dees, Toronto (w/Cheap Speakers and Ketch Harbour Wolves)
* April 30, APK Live, London (TBA)

By John Teeter - NxEW.ca

While papermaps may sound like something new, you should already be comfortable with them. Wanting to tackle the cumbersomeness of the moniker EX~PO, the band charted a new course under a name that reflected the territory they were now in.

Where EX~PO initially began as Dean Marino working out some songs, papermaps is the realization of what evolved as he flanked himself with musicians for live performances with Todd Harrison (bass/synthesizer), Wendy Leung (keyboards/vocals) and Bobby Lee (drums) as the material took on a life of its own.

The band have a new release – eponymous in name — available on Sparks/EMI nationwide on April 19 and from the first listen, it’s evident the name reflects some serious growth and cohesion. This quartet makes no bones about being fans of great music and being inspired by it just like you and I — start to finish, this album celebrates music.

Straight out of the gate, the tracks Angela, Reunion and Can’t Make a Living make you want to don the wayfarers, put down the roof, crank the stereo and hit the open road. True to life, the album takes a darker turn at Complicate Things – a two and a half minute gem – that feels carnal. Followed by Exit, there’s a cockiness that elevates the listener’s gaze from their shoes and into the face of the track, Coddled.

True to the album’s arc, the album finishes out with three of the strongest tracks (in my opinion), that look to make sense of it all. Wishful Thinker, You Glided Down and You Are My Gallows are like the soundtrack for the journey home – where you catch yourself in those long moments staring out the window as scenery passes you by.

Just like those carefree, summer breaks when your only destiny was the next moment of joy and the trip that got you there, this album leaves you all sorts of those memories in its folds. Poetic that in today’s decision-free GPS road trips, papermaps is a delightful allusion to that world of analog travel that allowed one to be more actively involved in the journey.

Fans of Jellyfish, Redd Kross, Sloan and The New Pornographers would do themselves a huge favour to give papermaps a serious listen. There are elements of Britpop, 70’s Psych Rock, and even British Invasion in there — all the music that inspired the lush landscape of the 90’s and gave credence to the term indie.

If you’re a fan of music that celebrates music, then papermaps is definitely an album and band worth checking out.

PAPERMAPS 2011 Spring Tour Dates:

* March 12, Tranzac, Toronto (w/Silent Five and Shawn Clarke)
* April 15, Zaphod’s, Ottawa (w/The Love Machine)
* April 20, Maxwell’s, Waterloo (w/From East to Exit)
* April 22, Jimmy Jazz, Guelph (w/From East to Exit)
* April 23, The Phog, Windsor
* April 26, The Mansion, St. Catharines (w/Citizen and The Bends)
* April 29, Sneaky Dees, Toronto (w/Cheap Speakers and Ketch Harbour Wolves)
* April 30, APK Live, London (TBA)

By John Teeter - NxEW.ca

Calling bands “indie-rock” doesn’t mean much. Once you define something amorphous, any group worth watching would wish to confound the clarity. This Ontario foursome are typical elusive chameleons. In his job as Head Engineer/Co-Owner of Toronto’s Chemical Sound, where this LP was recorded over 21 months, prime Papermap Dean Marino has recorded an array himself. So his group changes up each track, like a Canadian Radiohead playing electro-pop (“Complicate Things”), excellent Sparks/New Pornographers new wave (my favorite, “Can’t Make a Living”), harsh-not-pretty Everclear American Music Club shoegaze ( “Reunion,” which begins like David Bowie’s 1983 #14 “Modern Love”), jagged CBGB rock resembling Toronto ’77’s Scenics or today’s Strokes (“Angela,” “Exit”), and even glammy Queen veneration (“Coddled”). With a widescreen scheme like Marino’s 2008 solo LP (as EX~PO), Central Meaner Street, the greater group exertion keeps Papermaps’ music lively—and despite the variety, vitalizing too. (sparksmusic.com)

And though the A-side of the limited edition, 300-copies “Reunion” pre-LP 7” is already on the album, the release is notable for its herky-jerky (what is that, 5/5 jazz time?) b-side, “Banana Republic, a remastered version of a Central Meaner Street track. It’s as compelling as the more hyper tracks on OK Computer, which it resembles, as artistically, uniquely intriguing to ears as the hand-drawn map-motif sleeve is to eyes! (papermaps.net) - The Big Takeover (print isssue #68)

Once known as EX˜PO, this Toronto four-piece led by songwriter-producer Dean Marino doesn't really sound like Death Cab For Cutie, but it's easy to imagine its brand of articulate and textured pop appealing to the same constituency. This track actually has more in common with Ben Lee circa “Cigarettes Will Kill You,” only about 10 times as sonically dense. Meanwhile, we found ourselves trying to sing along before the first chorus was even over. It was not a pretty sight. (From Papermaps)

Written by John Sakamoto
-------
The Anti-Hit List a "top 10 music picks" published weekly in the Toronto Star, curated by John Sakamoto. Papermaps placed #3. Other artists appearing on the April 2, 2011 chart: Death Cab for Cutie and Alison Krauss. - The Toronto Star

This post is a little late, but better late than never!

After a Saturday afternoon spent glum, stoned, and frustrated due to the weather and several minor existential crises, a dinner at East Side Mario’s where my friend and I drew pornographic portrayals on the napkins with the free crayons provided by our tall, beautiful, aloof, and most likely unattainable waiter, I found myself at the Tranzac, located in the Annex, to see the up and rising Toronto-based band Papermaps.

I was indirectly invited by the drummer, Bobby Lee, and having known nothing about Bobby’s band prior to this show as our recently sprung acquaintance was merely a result of a mutual love for garden herbs, I found myself in rapt attention during their turbulent set. With Dean Marino on guitar and vocals, Wendy Leung on keyboards and back-up vocals, Todd Harrison on bass, back-up vocals and synths, and lastly but certainly not least, Bobby on drums, this indie quartet performed with a cohesive energy that was enterprising, idiosyncratic, and slightly weighted down with a hint of dark melancholy. With songs entitled ‘You Are My Gallows,’ or ‘Complicate Things,’ the latter of which features lyrics by Marino that go, “I feel like shit/ Let’s deal with it/Let’s wallow in it/Let’s consummate this/We’re gonna push the pain away/We’re gonna tear it all out/I want to fill you up/I wanna bury myself,” organs by Leung, a heavy bassline and beats by Harrison and Lee, Papermaps delivers a rich, aggressive sound imbued with pop elements and a deep-seated malaise which might reflect the kind of restless, fragmented day-to-day experience of modern romance and living in general. (However, I could be completely wrong, as I’m just an English major trained to hermeneutically read into everything around me.) On the flipside, we get songs like ‘Reunion’ or ‘Can’t Make a Living,’ which are more upbeat and quirky, and evokes the nostalgic sense of the bands I listened to riding the bus in high school, like Born Ruffians, Phoenix, or Spoon, and growing up in the suburbs in a world defined by awkward first infatuations, all the boys next door who skateboarded and played the guitar, and bush parties. Papermap traverses borders, bringing music that is fresh, brave and insightful.

They’re releasing their self-titled album on April 19th on Sparks, which is distributed by EMI Canada. Congrats! - AW Music

They used to be called EX~PO. But while EX~PO originally began as the solo project of front man Dean Marino, who gradually recruited band members to fill in the gaps in performance, it is in the present incarnation as Papermaps, that this Toronto quartet has cultivated a more fully realized sound. It feels as though the members have become more comfortable within themselves since dropping that slightly clunky moniker.

Papermaps embrace a distinctly pop-driven sound on their debut self-titled album, which is fleshed out by some really nice experimental flourishes and satisfyingly fuzzy shoe-gazey bits. The upbeat power-pop tracks, like Reunion and Can't Make a Living embrace a glee-club feel reminiscent of The New Pornographers, while Complicate Things has a dark and slightly R.E.M.-esque feel to it.

Although there is a definite pop sensibility on Papermaps, there are deeper musical elements at play in tracks like the yearning Wishful Thinker and in the pleasing keyboards breaking through the orchestrally-driven You Glided Down. The gloriously building, distortion-filled, shout-out number (complete with slow hand claps), You Are My Gallows, closes the album on a very satisfying note.

Papermaps' self-titled album will be released on April 19/11. - No Depression

Papermaps is a Toronto-based quartet who makes upbeat, structured indie-pop. They used to be called EX~PO and released an impressive debut under that name, Central Meaner Streets. Now with a new name and a growing fanbase, Papermaps is back with a self-titled release scheduled for April 2011.

Fronting Papermaps is producer Dean Marino, whose recording studio Chemical Sound houses the band's practice space. Other artists to record at Chemical Sound include Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Tokyo Police Club, Born Ruffians and Sweet Thing. Pretty impressive.

Our first look at Papermaps is a song called "Can't Make A Living." It's a poppy, guitar-heavy, well-mixed track with singable choruses and really catchy verses. And yet, it's not catchy or poppy in a bad way. Particularly around the two-minute mark, "Can't Make A Living" has transgressive moments that make the poppiness a little easier to swallow. These songs are strong efforts that really seem to highlight the group's appreciation of production and structure. You can listen/download below.

Papermaps drops on April 19th. More details when they're out there.

Papermaps Track Listing:
1. Angela
2. Reunion
3. Can't Make a Living
4. Forever
5. Complicate Things
6. Exit
7. Coddled
8. You Gilded Down
9. Wishful Thinking
10. You Are My Gallows - Inyourspeakers Media

Dean Marino, sole force behind Canada's stellar indie outfit, EX~PO, has decided to give his musical endeavor an overhaul. Well, at least in the sense of the band's name. Want to know the new moniker? Catch it after the jump!

Who could forget EX~PO's fabulous debut record, Central Meaner Street? Dean Marino is quite the musical mastermind, almost always fronting his projects by himself, with the occasional help of other musicians. Just recently, Marino and his backing band decided to go a different route, and have changed their band name. Now known as PAPERMAPS, Marino is all set to bring a fresh new sound to what was EX~PO.

If you happen to be in the Toronto area, be sure not to miss PAPERMAPS' upcoming November 25 show. For now, check out the newest track from PAPERMAPS down below. - inyourspeakers.com