A Trip to Marineville

By the time of A Trip to Marineville, Swell Maps had already released three classic singles — “Read About Seymour,” “Dresden Style,” “Real Shocks” — none of which appeared on the album, naturally, but they all hinted at a great avant-pop band worming its way out of a restrictive punk jacket. A Trip to Marineville makes that promise real, and then some. It begins with a number of short, sharp jolts to the nervous system — the hyperactive rush of “H.S. Art,” “Another Song,” “Vertical Slum” — takes a breather with a few hypnotic drone-outs — “Midget Submarines,” “Harmony in Your Bathroom” — and then takes off into space on side two. There’s a fierce tribute to Can’s “Mother Sky” here, called “Full Moon In My Pocket,” and then two long, sleepy songs, “Gunboats” and “Adventuring Into Basketry,” that unravel into untutored improvisations. What a wild ride.