Sam Duckworth, the driving force behind long time Punktastic favourites Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, is one busy man. Ignoring his frequent forays into political and ecological territory, he has dedicated himself to a hectic touring cycle and released five albums in as many years. In fact, it has been less than a year since the release of his last solo effort. ‘The Mannequin’. Perhaps in part due to this heavy schedule, ‘Maps’ feels rushed and a little incomplete compared to previous GCWCF efforts.
Opener ‘The Real McCoy’ takes Duckworth in a new direction, opting for a rockier edge with grittier vocals and the newly obligatory gang vocals. It’s not a bad sound, but it’s not one that sits all that well. The track is indicative of most of the entire record; there’s a clear attempt to vary the sound and to tackle a new style but the outcome is often overtly forced.
‘Maps’ also has a tendency to come across as a bit of a compilation album. Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, seemingly looking to evolve their style don’t ever seem to have a definitive direction on the record. Taken as standalone tracks, ‘Maps’ is full of great ideas, but coherency seems to have been sacrificed in place of an opportunity to experiment. There are moments when the experimentation goes too far, especially on the dubstep closing on ‘Daylight Robbery’ being immediately succeeded by an electronic led ‘Call of Duty’ (which wouldn’t feel out of place on earlier Get Cape material).
The sheer conflict between sounds throughout the record spoils the finer moments, and while Duckworth proved with ‘The Mannequin’ that he’s still very much on the top of his game, the GCWCF return feels like a small step backwards. The highlights on the album all fall within the straightforward; ‘The Joy of Stress’ and ‘Snap’ leading the way in terms of the slow, traditional sound which originally broke the band. ‘Maps’ has its moments but as a whole the disjointed nature hints at a new direction which may be more coherent on a follow-up release. Worth having a listen if you’re a Get Cape fan, but it’s definitely a release that’ll split the fanbase.
BEN TIPPLE