The chaps down at Topplers do keep churning them out, in the nicest possible sense. And for anyone who has a thing about indie bedsit pioneers Swell Maps they have treats in store – a band called Icon who are at least half of the Maps (Jowe Head and Epic Soundtracks plus longtime collaborator Phones Sportsman). A rambling instrumental reminiscent of ‘Collision With A Frogman…’ perhaps.
That alone makes the CD worthwhile (that and the obvious fact that that it’s free anyway). But there’s plenty more – straight into The Topplers with some neat surf guitar (no idea who this lot are). There’s more partial Maps action with another home recording, under the name Headphones this time (Phones and Jowe). Steve Treatment crops up as do The Cult Figures (another Maps alias sounding like root canal treatment being performed down the phone from a submarine).
The Maps aside there’s the Nyah Fearties (sort of Scots folk punk from the backwoods) and Luton punk legends Thrilled Skinny doing, yes, a Swell Maps tune (‘Read About Seymour’), and doing it rather well. Independent Piggies’ drone rock is neat too. In all, not a duffer here and… did I say it’s all free… ?
get it from the Topplers website…