Ratta Tatta Tatta EP - Forms Form Forms
OK melodic fast indie jumping around rock. Probably a decent live band. Not really my thing, but they're probably nice people.

4 Quid With Flyer - The Loyal Trooper
Another indie self-referencing thing. Sub-Libertines type jingle scratch. Not my thing at all.

We Are Dead Young split 7" - Dead Young Records
Track One - 'Boys from the Blackstuff' by A Love Supreme starts ok, almost like Big Money by Big Black. But then it loses it's nerve and sounds like a horrible sub-Arctic Monkeys with their dad singing. And a sixties organ. Not my bag, daddio. And c'mon, naming your band after a John Coltrane album is kind of asking not to live up to expectations.

Track Two - 'I Suppose' by Jonjo Feather is ok. Downtuned, slow and low, a bit like BRMC I guess, but alright. If all their songs are like this, and they could record them really really really loud, I might consider liking them.

EP Two - The Aviary
Sound like the Arcade Fire and that ilk. Good if you like the Arcade Fire, which I don't, but hey, each to their own. At least they brought something new to the table with their singing along and shaking their heads and picking up instruments littered around the stage.

Lihkolas - Adjagas
Um, experimental (but not really) Norwegian folky... actually, it is the Norwegian equivalent of the Bobby Cook track (see above). Even if it does have a Schneider TM mix.

Life to Live - Sennen
Hey Sennen... if you'd been around in 1989-1992 you could have been big on the shoegaze scene. Unfortunately it is now 2006. What? It's 2007?

Bad Decisions - My Sad Captains
Inoffensive jingle jangle, popular with Steve Lamacq, Claire Sturgess etc. Good luck to them.

Release the Lion - Stinky Munchkins
Beepy beep Prince-y indie dance thing for all you Klaxons etc fans
out there.

Bang Bang Boom Cake - Tiny Masters of Today
A kind of Kriss Kross for people like Emily from Big Brother ('there's a new music called indie, and it's taking over the world', or whatever it was she dribbled) , TMOT have all kinds of hipsters involved on this album but that doesn't make it any good. Hearing the grown-ups contributions to the tracks is a kind of relief, and I never thought I'd say that about a Karen O vocal.

A Second, Or Ten Years Later - The Sailplanes
The Sailplanes have moved to Berlin. Bastards! Who's gonna put my records out or let me dj their shows now? I like The Sailplanes, not just because they put my records out or let me dj their shows. This album shows them developing their scritchy angsty drumroll sound further. It's getting dark in the Sailplanes world of books and cameras and spies and knives and generally being pissed off with stuff. I like how they have defined their music and stuck with the vision, don't compromise and just do it whether anyone likes it or not. You should all support The Sailplanes by like going to see them play in Berlin over the next two years... wait, that could be difficult, and isn't eco-friendly. Just be their friend on myspace instead. And buy this album.

Chairman Of The Board - Surf soundtracks '64 to '74
OK collection of folky stoner surfing music that isn't the Beach Boys. Probably ok if you are a surfer and it is somewhere between 1964 and 1974, but sounds a bit dull in 2006. What? It's 2007?

Liars - Liars
I saw the Liars early on and didn't really like their Birthday Party rip off sound at the time, but they've flitted around since then, they've kept at it, they seem to be doing their own thing and don't care, so more power to them. I don't know how much I'd actually listen to this album as it has things like drums on it, but the fact
that you've got the almost pop single of Houseclouds sat next to the bootleg early VU noise of Leather Prowler gets a thumbs up from me.

White Lichens - White Lichens
Superior drone from White/Light and Lichens joining forces. This stuff is all I'm listening to at the moment and I can't handle most other things as they all seem meaningless compared to the output of Holy Mountain and Southern Lord and the like. Disintegrating guitar squall, feedback, droney electronics, all coming together to soundtrack a mist descending over the end of capitalism, as the sun burns us all to bits. Highly recommended.

Om
Just buy everything by Om. The most immense sound that just two people can make. Forget Lightning Bolt. Om are just so heavy. Get the track on the split 10" with Current 93 if you can, it's my favourite. And see them live. So good. Like Buddha playing Black Sabbath.

Hibernaculum - Earth
Reworks of older Earth in new Earth style, plus a new track, plus a live DVD in which you can see my friend Gareth's head as we were in the Islington Academy audience last year. Earth's returning 'cowboy from hell at the end of the world' style is just amazing. Who would have thought a trombone would sound so fantastic?

Hope for Men - Pissed Jeans
Everyone buy this. They just rock. Like no-one in the UK appears to be at the moment. If you want the rock, and the self loathing, get this. And who could resist songs that go "I've still got you, ice cream, 'cause sometimes life is less than a dream and all my other friends turn away. I need to be with something I can relate..." Well, I can't. I know how the guy feels. In fact, I've written a song called, 'I've still got you, cheap Chianti and Westons organic cider. But only on a Friday and a Saturday night, cos I've got to watch my waistline now I'm getting old'.

Wonder Wonder - Edith Frost
Yes I know it came out a few years ago, but I've only just discovered Edith Frost and her wonderful voice and her slightly more colourful than Nina Nastasia world which is a bit more countrified and a bit more wide-screen, so if you like Nina, you'll like Edith, who I think has the edge. And makes a nice alternative to Sunn O))) occasionally on me ipod.

This is the last set of reviews from me, ever. I'm just too old now to care about most of this music and too negative about most things if I do hear them and it probably isn't helpful to Maps or its readership. Thanks to Paul for putting up with me for so long. It was fun and therapeutic while it lasted. Over and out.