august time all being well!
Ladytron and Napoleon IIIrd confirmed already so looking good!

and lots of good songs to!
If you order a copy of Volume 6 from www.myspace.com/acrossthepennines you get a free badge (whilst stocks last)
it's all about the freebies!!!

Since April 2007, Mark Edwards has been wandering the moors of Yorkshire in search of what those desolate hills have hidden away from urban eyes. He's toiled in the factories of Manchester, pocketing the finest goods before they come of the production line.

He's pilfered the exotic cargo that arrives on the banks of the Mersey and mined the musical quarries of the north-east. And why? So that, for a measly £3.50 (inc p&p), we can all hear the best northern indie and punk without having to make that thankless journey ourselves.

Actually, while Mark has done a fair bit of travelling, the job isn't quite as harrowing as I've made out. He does, for example, use things like the internet and the phone to help him sort shit out. But that doesn't make it any less remarkable that, six volumes in, Across the Pennines remains one of the most reliable indie compilations on the market. The sixth instalment contains some fucking fantastic music on it, even without a 'big name' like The Wombats or The Ting Tings to help out this time around (some may even consider that a bonus).

When describing such compilations it's hard to be objective, so I won't be: my favourite track on this is I Joined a Union for You by Liverpool's Wave Machines, a dreamy medieval strum that has more parts than a very difficult jigsaw and sounds completely different to their other equally excellent material. I also love Snowdonia by Mechanical Owl - yet another slice of gorgeousness from Mike Payne - and the set-square pop of Manchester's Dutch Uncles. Personal highlights, is all.

As for the rest? An interesting coup has been pulled off in getting both Kruger faves Pulled Apart by Horses and Dinosaur Pile-up on board - each placed alongside each other, inviting the listener to compare and contrast the Mother Vulpine splinter groups early in their careers. It was also a masterstroke closing the album with the ever-lush Tim and Sam's Tim and The Sam Band, and equally impressive joining the dots with Team Waterpolo, Spodní Prádlo, I Concur and the ace Sir Yes Sir.

Of course, it helps that it's all so cheap. The handmade sleeve insert comes with designs from artists such as Leeds' Nous Vous and an interview with akoustik Anarkhy, who are soon to be putting out the awesome Cats in Paris album. With talk of some very interesting names lined up for the seventh edition, there appears to be no sign of Mark hanging his walking boots up yet. Get on MySpace, order yourself a copy of this, and let's all follow him.

Neil Condron

for letting i concur join in.