Customer Reviews

Trip to Marineville

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The debut album from Britain's Swell Maps was completely different from anything being recorded in the late 70's. Swell Maps had been around for quite some time before actually going into the studio to record their debut, but you can't really tell since the album is a chaotic mess from beginning to end (in a good way). But it does feature two distinct halves. The first side consists mostly of short punk songs that match up considerbly well with pretty much any of the other pre-eminate punk bands of the era. This is where you will find very catchy numbers like 'Another Song' and 'Midget Submarine'.

But the second side is where you get to the seminal and groundbreaking Swell Map style that influenced countless bands including Sonic Youth and DNA (not to mention the entire no-wave genre). The music on the second half can basically be described as sprawling, feedback-laden jams, especially the two 8 minute centerpieces 'Gunboats' and 'Adventuring Into Basketry', both of which reveal Swell Maps' obsession with Krautrockers Can. By the end of the album, it is difficult to beleive that these songs came from the same band that kicked out the 1 minute punk blast 'Vertical Slum' just 40 minutes earlier. Yet therein lies the greatness of not only this album, but of this band. They were simply not content with churning out the same old 3 minute punk song (which they do quite well). They continued to push the envelope as far as they could and ended up creating brand new avenues for not only themselves, but for others to explore.

As bonus tracks, Secretly Canadian has included the entire 4 track EP that accumpanied the original 'Marineville' LP. Swell Maps second (and final) album, 'Jane From Occupied Europe' is equally brilliant and no less essential, but I recommend beginning with 'A Trip to Marineville' for the originality and sheer influence it has left in its wake.

So I'm listening to this and suddenly I feel like my day has a soundtrack and this song is the prelude to a chase scene. Oddly atonal stuff is perfect for minding my own, not paying too much attencion to the background until a great song full of energy pops on and its time to jump around for a bit. Am I doing a good job selling this cd to you? Don't care really. If yer into this kind of thing, yer gonna buy it so don't let me slow you up.

I lived outside Cambridge UK from 77 - 80, moving there at the age of 22. I hopped into the "punk" scene with both feet. It was THE rock and roll circus. I spent my paychecks on 7 inch vinyl, hashish, and live shows. I picked up Swell Maps "Read About Seymour" in 77 or 78 and thought "Huh, this is different". I went on to get "Dresden" and "Build a Car". Whenever I got tired or deaf from listening to the likes of the Damned, Ruts, Jam or whoever, I'd put on "Build A Car" and it always made sense. It made me smirk at everything else because these blokes could pull it off like this. Television Personalities, O Level, and Steve Treatment were also walking outside and above some of my favorites like the Newtown Neurotics, UK Decay, and The Fall. I wasn't sure I needed a full length by Swell Maps when "Marineville" came out and never ran across it again, till recently. I was wrong for 28 years. Yeah, thousands of records and CDs later I came across this again and bought it. I sat stunned with glee at both it's authenticity and genius as well as my ignorance. There's still something out there for us.

The Swell Maps are an aquired taste for sure but it you are into authentic UK Punk for the 70's then you will love the Swell Maps. The case was cracked upon arrival, but I got a discounted priced. I got in 5 days of ordering it.

More breathtaking than an episode of Stingray (hard to believe, I know) these manic puppet show fans serve up an incendiary disc that'll burn your ears and serve them to you for dinner.
I wasn't phased at all by the Nervous Nellie reviews that termed the record unfocused-at the time this album was recorded punk rock and atonal noise co-existed quite well together. Just look at the Contortions, Wire, 8 Eyed Spy, the record makes perfect sense to me.
You'll love "Midget Submarines", "Vertical Slum", "H.S. Art", what a great bunch of rackety noise. I thought it was my heard-earned money well spent. Swell Maps score extra points for the Jimmy from Supercar sound bite at the beginning of the disc. I can almost see Mitch shrieking appreciatively in the background. Doctor Beaker would approve.

This recording is definitive of the whole punk/new wave sound. Its right up there with "Nevermind the Bullocks..." Incredible.