Departure - All Mapped Out

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 4 / 6 / 2005

Label: Parlophone
Format: CDS

intro

Re-release of the Departure's powerful first single, which comes in a variety of versions each containing unreleased B Sides and remixes

'All Mapped Out' , which originally came out last year,started my love affair with the Departure. It was re-released a week before their brilliant debut album, 'Dirty Words', which has been reviewed elsewhere. It still sticks out a year on like the rampant beast that it is, and is full of danceable indie beats and attitude. 'All Mapped Out' comes in two CDS versions. 'Hiding Place,' which appears on the first CDS, is a dark demon of a song. David Jones' vocal edges towards sounding like Damon Albarn in Blur. The guitars jangle in the manner of the ealy U2, but the track also reminds me of Strangelove, whose lead singer Patrick Duff has just released his debut solo LP, 'Luxury Problems', for Harvest. 'Hiding Place' is very paranoid and brilliant. 'Blackout', which appears on the second CDS, is again dark, but is much slower, and finds David experimenting with a Bowie-style vocal. The drums are loud on this and are as strong as the guitars. The second version of the CDS also features a remixed vesion of 'All Mapped Out' by ??$ and is housey and club based and not as powerful as the original. The 12" white label version of 'All Mapped Out ' also has an excellent remix by the Emperor Machine. It is far superior to the other remix and reminds me of the dubby Clash. It is very 80's in feel with slow grooves and is performed in an menacing manner. The 7' which is in clear vinyl has another new song, 'This New Craze' which has something of prog rock sound, and, fearful intone, recalls a gothic Cure as well as the Chameleons and again early U2.

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