HawgWyld's Full Review: An Inch Equals a Thousand Miles by Map Of The Worl...
Back when I was in college, I spent a year as the program director of the campus radio station. While the station was underpowered and had no listening audience to speak of, we still managed to get tons and tons of "college music" from labels all over the nation. In the late 1980s, see, there was no money in the type of music which was later commercialized to the hilt and slapped with the "alternative rock" label. Regardless, major labels still signed some "alternative" bands in hopes of finding another R.E.M. and making some serious money or, at least, being able to be able to offset some tax liabilities with businesses losses.
A lot of great music came out of that environment, and some of it was recorded by a fantastic band called Map of the World. The band, unfortunately, was only able to release an EP before (evidently) being dropped by Atlantic Records. That's truly too bad as the six-song An Inch Equals a Thousand Miles EP shows great promise.
Now, back in 1988, I was in that closet which passed for an office at the aforementioned college station, when I got a call from a fellow from Atlantic pushing Map of the World. Atlantic would send us some discs from time to time, and I believe the fellow who called me was new on the job. I always enjoyed those calls from major labels for two reasons. First of all, the label rep was usually a liar who -- I have no doubt -- would try to pass off a pile of dog poop in a record sleeve as the "next big thing." Second, most of the reps from major labels were from New York or the West Coast and assumed I was an idiot cracker as soon as they heard my rather thick Southern drawl. The fact they were dealing with a 20-year-old kid at a college radio station in Central Arkansas didn't help things, either. It's always fun to mess with people like that.
So, I was talking to the Atlantic Records guy, and he was going on and on about Map of the World and how great the band was. He offered to send me five albums so I could put one in the studio, keep one for myself and hand others out to music-crazed friends. The conversation went something like this:
"Your station doesn't just play country music, does it?" Mr. Atlantic asked.
"Naw. All them Hank Williams albums done got broke. We're trying some of that new fangled stuff -- them Bay City Bowlers, R.E.O. Feedwagon, Electric Light Opry, that wild McDonna and all."
"You're kidding, right?"
"Of course I am. We stick with the kind of stuff CMJ (College Music Journal) raves on about, just like everyone else."
"You have a CD player, don't you?"
"A what?"
"A CD player. You know. Compact discs."
"Yeah. Got one of them. Can't find no needles for it, though. And, I can't get any records to fit in it -- it's too danged small. I think ol' Cooter done wrecked our Hank Williams albums trying to jam 'em in that thing."
"You're kidding, right?"
"Of course. We've got a CD player here. We picked it up just last week from that big, fancy Wal-Marts store over across town a ways. Them things sound good. Real good!"
He then went on and on about Map of the World some more.
"Well, send it on down hyah," I said. "We'll give 'er a whirl, ace."
The Atlantic guy was only part right. Map of the World was a fantastic band, and it's unfortunate this little EP from 1988 was the only thing the band ever released.
You'll not find much information about Map of the World on the Internet, I'm afraid, so I'll provide as much as I can. The Michigan-based band was centered around a brother and sister -- Khalid Hanifi on guitar and vocals and Sophia Hanifi on vocals. Khalid wrote all the songs here, except for "Stop Thinking Now" which he wrote with Sophia.
The six songs here are:
1. The Wall of Least Resistance (with Khalid on lead vocals)
2. Impenetrable You (with Sophia on lead vocals)
3. Necessity (with Sophia on lead vocals)
4. I Fight for my Life (with Sophia on lead vocals)
5. Stop Thinking Now (with Khalid on lead vocals)
6. Steps (with Khalid on lead vocals with great backing vocals from Sophia)
Musically, Map of the World sounds like it had a lot in common with about a million other "alternative" bands in the 1980s. The band could reel off pop hooks without effort, but the energy of punk rock (the Buzzcocks, in particular) was also present. So, this is a high-energy, noisy album that's downright infectious.
The thing that really set Map of the World apart, however, was Sophia Hanifi. I hope to God she's singing somewhere these days because she has one of the most powerful -- and brassiest -- voices I've ever heard. She belted out these tunes with emotion and passion to spare, and she reminds me a bit of Natalie Merchant from 10,000 Maniacs fame.
In fact, "Necessity" reminds me a lot of a 10,000 Maniacs song in that it's an up-tempo number with plenty of musing and an urgent-sounding chorus. It also features some guitar picking which sounds like it could have come straight off of the Police's fantastic Synchronicity disc ("Every Step You Take, in particular).
The highlight of the EP, however, is "Impenetrable You," which begins as a dark, shuffling affair pinned down with a plodding drum beat and a repetitive bass line. In the chorus, however, the distorted guitars get cranked up and Sophia Hanifi is allowed to really cut loose and belt out some compelling vocals. Great stuff.
"The Wall of Least Resistance" and "Stop Thinking Now" are a couple of great, straight-ahead rockers. "I Fight for My Life" features more attention-grabbing, chorus-bellowing from Sophia Hanifi and is also impressive.
The disc ends with "Steps," a very sentimental ballad in which Sophia Hanifi contributes backing vocals that are nothing short of gorgeous. The acoustic guitar riff in that one, by the way, reminds me a lot of the Beatles' Dear Prudence.
There are only two flaws in this EP -- it's too short and I'd imagine it's almost impossible to find. And, no, I'm not selling mine.
It's really a shame Atlantic didn't push this band a little harder. This group showed some great promise back in 1988, and it's too bad it wasn't able to fully-develop its off-kilter brand of pop.
Oh, the other folks in Map of the World were Chris Ranney on keyboards, Donn Deniston on drums and Dante Orlando on bass.
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