- Audio CD (8 Dec 2008)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: alive
- ASIN: B00000IYOV
- Other Editions: Audio CD | Vinyl | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 144,270 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product Description
CD Description
Re-pressing of the 1999 Alive release International Rescue compiled by Nikki Sudden. And here is Nikki presenting the SWELL MAPS: SWELL MAPS began in 1972. They were formed by brothers Epic Soundtracks and Nikki Sudden together with their friend David Barrington. Jowe Head, Richard Earl and John Cockrill came on board over the next few years. Richard and Jowe stayed - the others became more temporary members. In September 1977 the MAPS went in the studio for the first time - although many home recordings were made - and still exist! SWELL MAPS were (are) seen as being a cross between CAN and T. REX by the members of the band. Others may disagree but that's their loss. All the band's singles (four) and albums (two) went to number one in the British independent charts. SWELL MAPS broke up in mid-1980 for many reasons - some known - many others unknown. Apparently they have influenced many bands including SONIC YOUTH, PAVEMENT, PUSSY GALORE, but don't blame them for this. SWELL MAPS played 50 shows during their lifetime. They were supposed to tour the States during 1980 but broke up too soon. After the demise of the band in the early '80s, Epic Soundtracks played with THESE IMMORTAL SOULS and CRIME AND THE CITY SOLUTION, ultimately recording solo, while Nikki Sudden was pursuing his own solo career, collaborating with a wide range of artists, from REM to WILCO. Epic Soundtracks died in 1997. RIP. Nikki Sudden died in 2006. RIP.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
"International Rescue" has all the attitude of The Buzzcocks and the melody of the Stiff Little Fingers, and if that sounds like a contradiction then you'd better get used to it, 'cos Swell Maps do punk like you've never heard it before. Incorporating musical experimentation into a sound that bursts out of your speakers and beats you round the head with its staggering bravado is no mean feat, but "International Rescue" achieves just that. From the puppet-baiting title track to the mental looping "H.A.K" via the lolloping skank of "Read About Seymour" and the beery rama-lama of "Get Down And Get With It" this album is one nugget of nice and skronky genius after another.
Format:Vinyl
A great introduction to a band who unjustly missed out on a lot of the critical acclaim enjoyed by their similar peers (Buzzcocks, Wire etc). My only gripe is that the vinyl version has 14 tracks, not the 19 advertised here. Worse still is that two of the missing tracks are Read About Seymour and Let's Build a Car, probably the band's best known tracks. If the 14 tracks I got weren't so excellent, I'd be demanding my money back.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5 reviews
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
my jaw dropped
8 Sep 1999
Format:Audio CD
While (almost) everyone was listening to The Clash, Sex Pistols and the Damned, very few people were listening to the Swell Maps in the late-70s and that's a shame (I am guilty of this). This disc collects material from their releases (like In Jane from Occupied Territory, Trip to Marineville) and so it's a good intro to the group's work. Like the Soft Boys, the Swell Maps were not appreciated during their time and were overshadowed by others like the Clash - this CD is a chance to hear the direction that punk/post-punk music should have taken. The music is hard, fast, sloppy, melodic yet chaotic, without the pretentious polish and posturing of the tripe that followed the 1977 punk explosion. The more you listen to this disc, the more you'll realize that much of what is being offered and marketed as "punk" on the radio/video TV today is crap (if you didn't know that already). The music on this disc is about 20 years old, but it sounds refreshing to me. Group members Nikki Sudden and Epic Soundtracks both had interesting and important post-Swell Maps solo careers.
True UK Punk!
30 April 2011
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Love the Swell Maps! If you are a fan of authentic UK Punk, then you will love the Swell Maps. Item arrived as expected and in three days of ordering it.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
swell maps...what are these tracks? thery're great.
15 Oct 1999
Format:Audio CD
When you listen to Swell Maps the mind takes you back a long way. This bunch of songs confirms the Swell Maps as one of the better bands from that wave of punk. Sure, they may have started out glam, but Swell Maps went down a different route. The songs here I was not familiar with except the singles "Read About Seymour," "Dresden Style." Some the tunes especially "International...," and "New York" are classic barn-burners. This cd reminds you that few bands make music like this anymore; and back then the Swell Maps were one of the few to do it with excitement, energy, and humor. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that this collection is but the counterpoint to future reissues of the classic albums "Jane from Occupied Europe," and "A Trip to Marineville." Swell Maps are a band which ranks right up there...and they deserved to be heard. Enjoy!
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