Scientific Maps

They took this one in 2006, and Aaron Smith emerged from the scrum last year as Best Male Songwriter, but with Hold On Whoever You Are, Smith’s record for this year’s RPM Challenge, the Maps still craft the smartest, catchiest crypto-zoological tunes in the land. With song titles like “Wherein We Are Introduced to the Author as He is Tortured and Transported via Ship from Portugal to an English Prison,” it’s tough to be the competition. - Metroland Magazine

They took this one in 2006, and Aaron Smith emerged from the scrum last year as Best Male Songwriter, but with Hold On Whoever You Are, Smith’s record for this year’s RPM Challenge, the Maps still craft the smartest, catchiest crypto-zoological tunes in the land. With song titles like “Wherein We Are Introduced to the Author as He is Tortured and Transported via Ship from Portugal to an English Prison,” it’s tough to be the competition. - Metroland Magazine

Scientific Maps "Hold On Whoever You Are": Stands up to the Maps cannon. Catchy, melodic pop about lost loves and lack of sleep. Chock full of delicious backing vocals, vocal overlays and guitar solos. Happy songs about haunting desperation.

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=781619#ixzz0Ws9K4EKo - Times Union

Scientific Maps "Hold On Whoever You Are": Stands up to the Maps cannon. Catchy, melodic pop about lost loves and lack of sleep. Chock full of delicious backing vocals, vocal overlays and guitar solos. Happy songs about haunting desperation.

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=781619#ixzz0Ws9K4EKo - Times Union

Scientific Maps opened. They are sometimes a twosome or foursome. Tonight it was Aaron Smith and Donna Baird. She is also a member of the Sgt Dunbar. Together on stage they are adorable.

Aaron’s witty comments to the audience and affectionate interaction with Donna added to the delight in sharing time with such an affable duo. Tuning his guitar he says “Donna play that trumpet part when you know this happens”. Laughter followed as Donna’s played it straight as if she were just waking up and didn’t realize she was performing. Something about her is zany in the best possible way.

The tunes Aaron writes are easy to love kind of a quirky pop with memorable melodies and offbeat lyrics. Their voices are great together. Aaron on guitar sings and captures attention and Donna adds the charming response with trumpet and vocal. The bands recorded material is upbeat with the addition of drums, keyboard and experimental surprises. I’m ready to spend some time with their music and tonight was a nice introduction. - Obsession Collection

Scientific Maps opened. They are sometimes a twosome or foursome. Tonight it was Aaron Smith and Donna Baird. She is also a member of the Sgt Dunbar. Together on stage they are adorable.

Aaron’s witty comments to the audience and affectionate interaction with Donna added to the delight in sharing time with such an affable duo. Tuning his guitar he says “Donna play that trumpet part when you know this happens”. Laughter followed as Donna’s played it straight as if she were just waking up and didn’t realize she was performing. Something about her is zany in the best possible way.

The tunes Aaron writes are easy to love kind of a quirky pop with memorable melodies and offbeat lyrics. Their voices are great together. Aaron on guitar sings and captures attention and Donna adds the charming response with trumpet and vocal. The bands recorded material is upbeat with the addition of drums, keyboard and experimental surprises. I’m ready to spend some time with their music and tonight was a nice introduction. - Obsession Collection

A few weeks ago, I sat down with Albany's indie sweethearts, Scientific Maps. Over the course of our discussion, we spoke about the upcoming album, the Albany music scene, and even a little bit about film. Check out the interview after the break.

InYourSpeakers: You guys have been a band for how long now?

Aaron: Scientific Maps has been a functioning band since early 2003, and it’s gone through a few incarnations since, different band members and such… Its kinda been a revolving door, people coming in, coming out. It’s more like a band that doesn’t necessarily matter at the time how many people are in it. Donna and I play as a duo, but we are still billed as Scientific Maps.


IYS: Now, you guys are based in Albany? How has the music scene out there treated you since forming?

A: Recently there has been a rebound with the people in there interest in going out and seeing bands play live. I think there has always been very talented and energetic people in the area – it’s always been a great place to record and play – but since I’ve been playing for the last maybe 12 years in Albany, it’s had it’s ups and downs in the scene, but even considering the Arctic blast of late, there is still an energy that shines out despite the obstacles.

Donna: Aaron won’t say it, but I can. I’d say as far as how Scientific Maps has been received, like three weeks before Aaron asked me to play in the band, they were [Metroland’s] Best Pop Band of 2007.

And then Aaron, if you don’t mind me saying…

A: I allow you to talk me up. [Laughter]
D: …Aaron was 2008 Best Songwriter [Albany].
A: Male. Just best male songwriter. Still working on the other one.
D: He wants to grab the female title as well. [Laughter] As far as Scientific Maps goes, definitely well received.


IYS: How does the recording process work? Do you write songs with a full band or just hire extra musicians to play the stuff you’ve already come up with?

A: At the inception of the band, it was basically just me writing and recording all the songs on a four-track machine. Even now, for the most part that hasn’t changed. We did veer off from that last year, and the whole band went into the studio and laid down the basic tracks for the next full length, Food for Witches. We’re still adding more sounds to that as time goes along, but that was the first time we went into a studio and did a quote-unquote professional-sounding type of recording that can be a little more accessible. The four-track lo-fi stuff, it is all I can afford to work with right now, and it is something I know how to work with, but unless you have it mastered really well, some energy is definitely lost.


IYS: Your new EP sounds a lot clearer that your previous work, was that intentional?

A: Yeah, I sent it out to get mastered professionally, so that’s the difference. Again though, I’m giving these guys really low-quality recordings on cassette tape that I’ve just digitized and sent to them, so they’re still working with very lo-fi stuff anyway.

So that’s why we wanted to go to Troy to work with Frank.
D: Frank of Princess Mabel. The coolest guy.
A: Yeah, and he has been extremely helpful getting us on the right track.

So that’s basically it when we go into the studio, I write all the songs, I try to come in with them in my head, and have like a direct plan – especially because it costs dollar bills. [laughter] Alternatively, I really like recording lazily in my apartment on a rainy afternoon at my own pace. So it kind of goes between those two extremes – working with almost militant precision or just being lazy and waking up thinking, “oh, I should plug in the keyboard today and record something.” That’s probably why [Food for Witches] took four years.


IYS: By comparison, how long did your debut take?

A: Also four years. Then the Galvanic [Wizardry EP] – on that there’s only three songs on that which are quote, unquote pop songs and then there’s like four noise-collages that I put together. That took only about two months.


IYS: Your music has a very organic feel to it. Where does it come from? What’s the root of it, if you will?

A: Well, there’s different things that are constantly being used in pop music. We’re working with a fairly limited palate. And for someone like me who is totally self-trained in everything – I mean, I took lessons for a short time when I was twelve years old to play guitar – I think that basically, the songs, lyrically are extremely informed by film. Just dialogue or characters that I’ve seen in movies, particularly lately. I’ve been really immersed in film.

Sonically, I grew up listening to AM radio in my room on rainy days, you know, listening to the oldies station and getting really into the British invasion when I was very young. You know, when it was something that was really not cool and got you made fun of in junior high. Being a fan of The Beatles and older bands like The Who. You know, it just wasn’t cool. I mea - In Your Speakers

A few weeks ago, I sat down with Albany's indie sweethearts, Scientific Maps. Over the course of our discussion, we spoke about the upcoming album, the Albany music scene, and even a little bit about film. Check out the interview after the break.

InYourSpeakers: You guys have been a band for how long now?

Aaron: Scientific Maps has been a functioning band since early 2003, and it’s gone through a few incarnations since, different band members and such… Its kinda been a revolving door, people coming in, coming out. It’s more like a band that doesn’t necessarily matter at the time how many people are in it. Donna and I play as a duo, but we are still billed as Scientific Maps.


IYS: Now, you guys are based in Albany? How has the music scene out there treated you since forming?

A: Recently there has been a rebound with the people in there interest in going out and seeing bands play live. I think there has always been very talented and energetic people in the area – it’s always been a great place to record and play – but since I’ve been playing for the last maybe 12 years in Albany, it’s had it’s ups and downs in the scene, but even considering the Arctic blast of late, there is still an energy that shines out despite the obstacles.

Donna: Aaron won’t say it, but I can. I’d say as far as how Scientific Maps has been received, like three weeks before Aaron asked me to play in the band, they were [Metroland’s] Best Pop Band of 2007.

And then Aaron, if you don’t mind me saying…

A: I allow you to talk me up. [Laughter]
D: …Aaron was 2008 Best Songwriter [Albany].
A: Male. Just best male songwriter. Still working on the other one.
D: He wants to grab the female title as well. [Laughter] As far as Scientific Maps goes, definitely well received.


IYS: How does the recording process work? Do you write songs with a full band or just hire extra musicians to play the stuff you’ve already come up with?

A: At the inception of the band, it was basically just me writing and recording all the songs on a four-track machine. Even now, for the most part that hasn’t changed. We did veer off from that last year, and the whole band went into the studio and laid down the basic tracks for the next full length, Food for Witches. We’re still adding more sounds to that as time goes along, but that was the first time we went into a studio and did a quote-unquote professional-sounding type of recording that can be a little more accessible. The four-track lo-fi stuff, it is all I can afford to work with right now, and it is something I know how to work with, but unless you have it mastered really well, some energy is definitely lost.


IYS: Your new EP sounds a lot clearer that your previous work, was that intentional?

A: Yeah, I sent it out to get mastered professionally, so that’s the difference. Again though, I’m giving these guys really low-quality recordings on cassette tape that I’ve just digitized and sent to them, so they’re still working with very lo-fi stuff anyway.

So that’s why we wanted to go to Troy to work with Frank.
D: Frank of Princess Mabel. The coolest guy.
A: Yeah, and he has been extremely helpful getting us on the right track.

So that’s basically it when we go into the studio, I write all the songs, I try to come in with them in my head, and have like a direct plan – especially because it costs dollar bills. [laughter] Alternatively, I really like recording lazily in my apartment on a rainy afternoon at my own pace. So it kind of goes between those two extremes – working with almost militant precision or just being lazy and waking up thinking, “oh, I should plug in the keyboard today and record something.” That’s probably why [Food for Witches] took four years.


IYS: By comparison, how long did your debut take?

A: Also four years. Then the Galvanic [Wizardry EP] – on that there’s only three songs on that which are quote, unquote pop songs and then there’s like four noise-collages that I put together. That took only about two months.


IYS: Your music has a very organic feel to it. Where does it come from? What’s the root of it, if you will?

A: Well, there’s different things that are constantly being used in pop music. We’re working with a fairly limited palate. And for someone like me who is totally self-trained in everything – I mean, I took lessons for a short time when I was twelve years old to play guitar – I think that basically, the songs, lyrically are extremely informed by film. Just dialogue or characters that I’ve seen in movies, particularly lately. I’ve been really immersed in film.

Sonically, I grew up listening to AM radio in my room on rainy days, you know, listening to the oldies station and getting really into the British invasion when I was very young. You know, when it was something that was really not cool and got you made fun of in junior high. Being a fan of The Beatles and older bands like The Who. You know, it just wasn’t cool. I mea - In Your Speakers