Swell Personalities

I bought, yes purchased (I hate downloading) the relatively recent Swell Maps' compilation, Wastrels and Wippersnappers [Overground Records] and the Television Personalities return, My Dark Places [Domino Recordings].

The Swell Maps set compiles home-recordings from 1974-1978 and sounds exactly like what they were: teenage Van Der Graaf Generator, T. Rex and Krautrock fans. Not that you should expect "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers" Mark II or anything of that nature. The disc has 23 examples of engaging lo-fi experimental instros in addition to early versions of Dresden Style, Full Moon and Harmony in Your Bathroom among other favourites. I will say that no band could careen through an art-damaged tune quite like the 'Maps. The package features liner notes by Jowe Head and Nikki Sudden (RIP).

I missed out on the Television Personalities back in the 70's and 80's and count myself a recent convert. Now if anyone asks, I will say that "Part-time Punks", "I Know Where Syd Barrett Lives" and "Three Wishes" are among the best songs ever. It seems that T.P. mainstay Dan Treacy vanished from sight at one point and rumours of his demise were rife. Not dead, but a decline fueled by drug abuse had him incarcerated. He hit bottom and bounced back. On My Dark Places his whimsey survived intact; it would have to in order to sing "Don't sit under the apple tree with anyone but Lou Reed" ("Velvet Underground"). But some of the songs, Special Chair and Sick Again for example, are so raw and personal it was almost uncomfortable to listen. Still, there is no one quite like Treacy and it is wonderful to see him recording once more.

The video below is for "All The Young Children on Crack", a track from My Dark Places.