International Rescue

You'll have to be a pretty major Swell Maps fan to make heads or tails, at a glance, out of which songs on this 20 track compilation you may already have. It's all over the Swell map, including four songs that have never been on CD [including "Dresden Style (City Boys)," which was a single]; three that have never been released anywhere; three "unreleased mixes"; and a few songs that appeared on U.K. singles ("Let's Build a Car," "Real Shocks," "Read About Seymour"). While turning to the late 70’s early 80’s seems to be all the rage to inspire new bands these days, it’s almost stupefying that no one seems to have namedropped Swell Maps as an influence, or even discover them for that matter. If they haven’t been the source of inspiration for already established bands, International Rescue should arouse a whole new breed of amateurs to start up boisterous experimental garage bands. Based around the creative team of brothers Nikki Sudden and Epic Soundtracks, Swell Maps were underground heroes in their time fusing punk rock, noise pop and experimental rackets in Krautrock patterns to achieve a sound unlike any equal. If this happens to be your first, or only, Swell Maps album you get, its decent arty punk that's too monochromatic to sustain burning interest over the course of the lengthy program. It does however have a heartier sense of joie de vivre than many of the contemporary punk or new wave bands of the period, particularly in the vocals.

Ripped from CD to boisterously experimental MP3 @ 320kbps

Swell Maps; International Rescue

1.      International Rescue

2.      Real Shocks

3.      Let's Build A Car

4.      Black Velvet

5.      Ammunition Train

6.      Ripped & Torn

7.      Secret Island

8.      Read About Seymour

9.      Get Down And Get With It

10.   Spitfire Parade

11.   New York

12.   Forest Fire

13.   Winter Rainbow

14.   Dresden Style (City Boys)

15.   Off The Beach (Spilling Coffee)

16.   One Of The Crowd

17.   Vertical Slum

18.   H.A.K.

19.   I Really Love You

20.   Hey Johnny! Where's The Chewing Gum

There is an absolute mountain of Swell Maps over at Die Or D.I.Y. check it out here