Woollen Kits

What: Woollen Kits by Woollen Kits.
When: January 16 through R.I.P Society/FUSE.
Key notes: Debut album for the Melbourne-based garage trio, which features joint vocals by guitarist Thomas Hardisty and drummer Tom Ridgewell. Follows a clutch of 7” releases including ‘Teenage Love’ (2009) and this year’s ‘Maths’, which we described as “their best song yet”. Produced by Lachlan Wooden at Magnetic West in Brunswick West, making it the only garage rock LP in Melbourne not recorded by Mikey Young or Jack Farley.
From the presser: “This isn’t an episode of *Happy Days, Woollen Kit’s debut LP is believable in its honesty with an earnest sentiment similar to Television Personalities and The Modern Lovers.”
Tracklisting:
Sloan
For You
Be Your Friend
University Narcolepsy
Out of Wack
In Between
I Love You
Always
Watch You Walk
Listen to ‘Always’:
Woollen Kits - Always by R.I.P SOCIETY RECORDS

Christmas Day!!!

just in time for post xmas shopping and shipping,new records have arrived from RIP Society Woolen Kits S/t lp and Royal Headache S/T lp repress, and from bedroom suck Loose Grip - Cereal 7"

wire magazine

there's a great piece on the brisbane scene written by daniel spencer (of blank realm) in the new issue if you get a chance to pick it up.  NGL also gets some mention in another column, and i can't remember but there might be some reviews in byrons column

rip society update

just so that everyone knows, royal headache is sold out!!!!  repress will be coming in the new year along with the woolen kits lp

New Stuff In and more on the way

From NGL records
Watery Love - Two Thrills - 7"
Lost Domain - Drunken Sailor - 7"
Blank Realm - Falling Down the Stairs - 7"
3 Toed Sloth - Jukebox Single #2
Axemen - Nutsack - 7"

and from Richie records
Taco Leg - Printed Gold - 7"

Recently got some Drunk Elks lp's from Wormwood Grasshopper, which went quick to goner and permanent records, but will have more of their next release, Hammering the Cramps lp, shortly.  Then look out for Sky Needle.

great deaf wish review

Deaf Wish- S/T 

written by sonny house 

I am a domestic dad with little bastards running through my house (six, as of one hour ago) at high speed ignoring my every command, smearing shit on the couch, torturing the dog and throwing things at my head. "I didn't mean it," is the mantra, and I wonder at the glories of the 1930s father, certain of his position, Scotch in hand, belt in the other, ruling his castle with the confidence of a man who knows his kingdom.  I know the  part of the sunken couch that I slink to when the wave passes and the video games go back on and the walls stop shaking and my bugged out eyes seek solace in a long draft beer and some Gene Clark.

So let's just say noise rock don't fit the current aesthetic, or paradigm, or pick your noun with the general meaning of model and give me a fucking break- I still own that Scratch Acid record, pull out the Laughing Hyenas late night, and find Pissed Jeans one of the three best bands of the last five years. Just don't ask me to pull out Wolf Eyes when you arrive at midnight on your bi-annual trip down wild hair lane- chances are, I'm passed out on the couch with Gram Parsons on repeat. But shiver me frayed nerve timbers, this Deaf Wish record, another Aussie missile in that island continent/nation's insidious attempt to rule our humble shores, is one effective drone.  I do believe I like every song on it, and it ain't exactly Singles Going Steady.  Screeching and pleading and fuzzing and, well, it's very noisy but you can sing along. Sort of. This shit just screams 1988-1992, if that means anything to anyone.  You could almost call it Texas acid-damaged emo if you had no shame, which I don't, so there you go.  The songs work, OK? Aristotelian catharsis is at hand. Just be glad you're not him, if you know what I mean. Now somebody tell me where I can find their other records so I can ignore the little bastards' next wave of madness.

woolen kits review(?)

http://siltblog.blogspot.com/
Woollen Kits-Maths/Out Of Town (RIP Society)

BvS-Ah, muffins!. The scent of baked blueberries. So lovely. But wait.......I see a man, he is dressed....haphazardly. I am in someplace called....Olympia.

RSW-Calvin Johnson?

BvS-Would this man wear capri pants w/a hunting cap?

RSW-Yes.

BvS-So! It is him. But only in voice. The music......I am in swinging London....it is perhaps 1984. Creation...yes... Jas-

RSW-(excitedly interrupts) Jasmine Minks! Bunzo, you are a piece of work!

BvS-Shut up idiot! This is to fool me. No.......this music is from elsewhere. Another continent. I see snakes, toads, vast desert, kabobs & pasty vegans......

RSW (shakes his head in disbelief) Right AGAIN! They's called the Woollen Kits. From Melbourne,Australia.

BvS (Visibly exhausted, she tosses the record into RSW's lap. She is sweating profusely & is feebly trying to hide a hand that belies a faint but steady palsied tremor)-Mein Gott, Roland Woodbe! I am finished with this foolishness. Gulliver! Please, let Mr. Woodbe know his time is up.

Suddenly the entire space filled w/the most penetratin voice, like a talkin fire alarm what had gone off;

Gulliver the Parakeet-'Rous, Esel! Rous! Rous! Rous, Esel! Rous! Rous!' (over 'n over, over).


You don't have to tell me twice. Plus my ears was gonna start bleedin if I didn't vamoose.I gathered my records & bid farewell. Now that was a day-spent! Even El Jeffe'd won a couple bucks on a pick-four. On the way back to the complex I's tried to tell him about that scene. He wasn't havin none of it. With the lucre won, he'd 'invested' it in a bottle've Cathaca & was hell bent to get home 'n muddle some limes. I mentioned that Bunny had a gift, that she could see the future. El Jeffe retorted "I can see the future too. And it's this car in my driveway in 10 minutes"!. And so's it came to pass. We's rolled up w/time to spare. And them Caprihina's is goin down smooth. "Faith" as they's say, "is a passionate intuition".

New label coming into the fold

WG-01... Drunk Elk's 'Under Neon Lights' LP

'Drunk Elk is an experience of a forgotten place. Each track a cracked sermon for those spoilt by a lifetime of drums. The lesson we can't have it all. 'Pieces of People We Have Known' was unhinged, 'Under Neon Lights' fills out; has more rage, more range, and focuses to describe the madness as something clearer, louder and more felt.  Picture Father Yod, disrobed, and dispatched to a very different island, landing in the hands of a mischievous Current 93.  Drunk Elk have the driving stare of the Pin Group, the sideways hit of early Terminals and sound like they've only heard Joy Division described.' - Paul Garcia.

"Much anticipated full length LP from VT faves Drunk Elk who come out of Hobart, Tasmania. The trio use vocals, organs, bass and guitars – no drums – to navigate the kind of beautiful edge-of-the-world tuneage of NZ/OZ faves like This Kind Of Punishment, The Garbage And The Flowers, Builders et al. Vocalist Dave Askew is as distinctive a stylist as Richard Youngs, Pip Proud or Alastair Galbraith while sounding like approximately none of them. Tracks vary from slow-motion organ-led heartbreak to crude DIY avant-folk in a way that is as staggering as anything by The Scrotum Poles but the overall atmosphere is of late 80s/early 90s underground moves cut with a time-lag/lost in translation vibe that is hard to put your finger on. Drunk Elk somehow combine earnest, sad, heart on your sleeve songwriting with a ton of avant smarts and a crude underground aesthetic that is just totally beguiling. Heart-stoppingly beautiful, peerlessly inventive to the point that you keep throwing names at em – Kiwi Animal?! – but none of em stick. Only wish we could’ve caught these guys live when we were in Tasmania ourselves. Edition of only 300 copies. Very highly recommended" -David Keenan/Volcanic Tongue

http://soundcloud.com/wormwoodgrasshopper

some new reviews

Another Wave from the Aussie Underground
by Kevin J. Elliott

If you weren’t already aware, there’s a glut of excellent, if not unbearably ugly, punk being produced in Australia these days. And though there’s been a long lineage of mordant riffs from the Saints, Radio Birdman, the Birthday Party, and lesser-knowns like Feedtime borne out of the desolate outback and cretin-filled ghettos, a lot of these kids would rather snub Nick Cave’s influence than build the man a statue. If anything, this latest surge in exports from Oz owes as much to the Columbus, Ohio pantheon as it does to homeland allegiance. First, there’s the Negative Guest List. Not only is the DIY label and zine named after a Thomas Jefferson Slave Aparments’ song, it contains a monthly column dedicated to keeping up with the current underbelly of Ohio’s capital city. Then there’s the unhealthy obsession with the Cheater Slicks. Among Australian musicians, the Columbus band’s output has become a genre all its own, so much so it’s puzzling why the trio hasn’t already migrated to the southern hemisphere to ride out their twilight years. It’s like there is a pipeline between the two scenes—that or circles in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney are actually universes parallel to Columbus. Hell, down under they celebrate the Unholy Two with reissues and two-page centerfolds of Chris Lutzko. Mighty bizzaro indeed. But even in this age of internet and instant satisfaction, the Australia underground still feels far away, hard to access without postage stamps and mysterious as to how it continues to thrive. The first half of this year brought us Circle Pit, Slug Guts and Kitchen’s Floor, but in this latest batch from Australia, it’s apparent the junk-punk abscess is still bubbling wildly, fueled by bad smack, crude culture and the government’s dime.


Dead Farmers, “Out the Door” b/w “Never Enough” (RIP Society)
From the label that introduced the world to the hellish biker groove of Circle Pit comes the debut single from Dead Farmers. I made the mistake of missing them when they last checked in, but judging from these two songs, Dead Farmers sound as if they’re put together with more time and care than their peers. That doesn’t always guarantee dazzling results, as the charm of most of these bands comes in their crummy fuck-off abandon. Dead Farmers are instead stylized with rootsy clarity. “Out the Door” relies on a faux roadhouse racket made famous by bands like X or the Mekons. I’m sure the Gun Club and The Cramps are more suitable psychobilly aspirations for what the Dead Farmers aim to play, but in the end, exasperating as “Out the Door” is, it seems neutered of any sign of danger. Though the male-female blooze damage of the aforementioned Circle Pit can be found on the flip, “Never Enough,” the whole thing is a centimeter away from giving love to Uncle Tupelo.


Low Life, Sydney Darbs EP (Negative Guest List)
It would be remiss to exclude the downer nihilism of Flipper when referring to what is so energizing about this mass movement of Australian half-speed hardcore repossession. Low Life is the perfect representation of what makes junk-punk such a gnarly revelation. The Sydney trio displays such a classic tone on their debut that it’s like discovering some lost pocket of proto-sludge from the early ’80s. While Black Flag and Bad Brains were searching for speed, Low Life’s inspiratory mainline is filled with Drunk with Guns records and, as expressed in “Atomised” or “Rewire,” Wire as pigfuck. This is heavy face-melting metal, really, just bypassing actual metal in exchange for AmRep aggro. Think Cows and Cherubs, rhythms so blatantly bashed to a grind it’s like being dragged by the leg on hot asphalt, with skin flayed to reveal the gory details of the circulatory system. This is the grimiest twist on the Aussie underground’s already soiled underbelly, perhaps the Australian doppelganger to the sonic rape provided by the Unholy Two. That’s definitely apparent on “Down Under,” which ends the EP with their distinctively abrasive structure, but soon devolves into brown-acid psych or some nightmarish PiL mantra driven into oblivion.
Of course this next wave is not limited to these records. For more pummeling examples of the chum coming from Australia, one need only to pay the extra cash required to get the Negative Guest List in their hood or check out other releases by like-minded labels, like RIP Society and Bedroom Suck Records, currently being distributed in the States. Going forward, I’m eagerly anticipating Degreaser’s Bottom Feeder LP and the further disintegration of no-wave though this jenkem-coated lens on Scraps’ Classic Shits album.

http://www.agitreader.com/primitivefutures/another_wave_from_the_aussie_underground.html

songs from the forerunner 7"

just came in, been excited about this for awhile

http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/forerunner/clip3/

royal headache review

Record of the Week: ROYAL HEADACHE LP

9 11 2011

ROYAL HEADACHE, another in an endless stream of fantastic new Australian groups, delivers an essentially flawless pop record in long form on their first shot. While their debut single totally impressed, they truly shine here, making the kind of record that folks from a wide array of genres will likely embrace. The performances are top notch across the board, complete with actual singing that’s so proficient and downright awesome that it sounds totally fucking jarring. The production is perfect, fuzzy in all the right places, propelled by a stabbing guitar sound that recalls the most powerful moments of classic UK DIY punk rock. The soulfulness and excellent songwriting exhibited throughout brings to mind a speedy, punk SQUEEZE, which I hate myself for saying, but fuck it, it’s there. Much like stateside heroes HOME BLITZ, ROYAL HEADACHE is capable of conjuring up a monster hook out of chaos and making a whole lot of other current pop bands sound terrible in the process. (RIP Society Records)

new video from per purpose

http://polaroidsofandroids.com/videos/per-purpose-reel-ingenuity/6248.html

volcanic tongue has a bunch of NGL releases

TIP OF THE TONGUE 23 OCTOBER 2011

The Lost Domain
Blondes Chew More Gum
Negative Guest List 1020
2xLP
£24.99

Staggering and timely reissue of a 1995 cassette from this legendary Australian underground free rock group (back then known as The Invisible Empire) that oughta re-write goddamn history. The Lost Domain were and are one of Australia’s best kept secrets, the centre of gravity for a whole scene, with a revolving membership that has at one time featured a buncha key underground players – Leighton Craig, Eugene Carchesio, Ian Wadley – and who re-wrote the free rock manifesto as radically as The Dead C. Indeed, The Dead C might be their nearest bed-fellows. Blondes Chew More Gum features a six-piece line-up, with the core of guitarist David MacKinnon and guitarist/vocalist/mandolin player/organist Simon Ellaby joined by Greg Hilleard on guitar/FX and vocals and the ‘drum orchestra’ of Dina Bojic, Bettina Graham and Ian Wadley. The drums dunt all over the place, now beating doomy cultic tattoos, now staggering through endless repeat guitar breakdowns like wounded soldiers, now raising the skies like the Ya Ho Wha Orchestra. The guitar playing is ferociously minimal, working weaves of frazzled steel into hypnotic registers that spill over into euphoric repeats while the vocals mix dying cross-eyed hillbillyisms with Michael Morley does “Sister Ray”. Indeed, the ghost of The Velvets flits throughout this massive double set, particularly the kinda atonal squeal of “Black Angel’s Death Song” but it’s perhaps more accurate to say that they build on the kinda furthered VU sound of units like Vibracathedral Orchestra, combining amplifier worship with DIY ritual and an approach to The Blues that emphasises its potential for musical freedom as much as Harry Pussy. But really, as Jon Dale puts it in his eloquent sleeve notes, “Blondes Chew More Gum fucking ROCKS.” This release turns alla your contemporary rock histories on its head. Singular, bloody-minded in its pursuit of the zone, massively psychedelic destructo rock of the kind only the Southern Hemisphere can deliver. Comes in a gatefold sleeve with liners, snaps and fliers. Highly recommended!

http://www.volcanictongue.com/recent

another new one

Dead Farmers - Out the door 7" (r.i.p. society)

couple new reviews

http://www.yellowgreenred.com/
Royal Headache Royal Headache LP (R.I.P Society)
Goddamn… no sooner do I convince myself that it is statistically impossible for another Australian group to completely blindside me with their greatness than Royal Headache show up and knock me senseless. Looks like a pretty boring record, what with the “band in an empty lot” album art and sparse information, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t the best traditional punk album I’ve heard this year. It’s like a perfect blend of The Jam, Buzzcocks, The Circles and Nasty Facts, with maybe a touch of The Housemartins for good measure. If you are familiar with Nasty Facts, you know they’re not a comparison to make lightly, but seriously, Royal Headache are right there – speedy, Mod-ish punk with an endless, precise energy and a vocalist who would make any band sound better with his mouth behind the mic, the type of confident singer that sadly seems to have fallen out of punk rock fashion. It’s kind of thrilling to hear a band be this good. And they even throw in a song like “Surprise”, ripped straight from the first Strokes album, and incorporate it into their own style. I know underground Australian rock is a cool trend for us Americans to be into and all, but Royal Headache surpasses all of that; it’s a record anyone into punk rock needs to hear. I’m not making this up!

Woollen Kits Maths / Out Of Town 7″ (R.I.P Society)
The curiosity I felt toward new releases from R.I.P Society has quickly turned to eager anticipation in the wake of a number of smash hits from this great label. Beats me who Woolen Kits are, surely just another good (if not great) Australian rock group, so let’s check it out… “Maths” opens with a sunshine-y guitar riff and bouncy drums, the sort of thing that would be melodic pop-punk if they played it at twice the speed. The vocalist seems to like this laid-back tempo though, slowing and deepening his vocals to a Calvin Johnson-esque bellow, sung from the gut with a rose in his teeth. “Out Of Town” picks up the pace, kind of a standard garage number if it weren’t for the even more prominent vocals, culled deep from the well of indie rock (or maybe The Trend’s “Band-Aid”). Pretty cool single overall, although in the presence of Woollen Kits’ R.I.P Society peers, a soft backboard layup amongst so many 360 dunks.

Bunch of stuff on the way in

  lost domain 2xlp degreaser lp and low life 7" from NGL due yesterday

memphis newspaper

http://www.gomemphis.com/news/2011/sep/22/cover-story-its-not-easy-being-a-goner/

 looks like i'm out of deaf wish lps for awhile, both mercy and S/T are gone, but look for them from deaf wish on us tour right now

Deaf Wish

S/T LP is on the way from the pressing plant (I've erroneously called it Green Flame for as long as i have had the cd-r) this will be the first time it's been available on vinyl and it's a small pressing for their US tour.  I will have some and the rest will be with them to sell on the road and possibly make it back to Australia.

"...imagine taking Zen Arcade and Damaged as a starting point for your sound and then moving on from there with utter disregard for the stale musical trends of the recent past."  some guy on the internet

bunch of new reviews up here

http://www.yellowgreenred.com/

Royal Headache S/T

just came in today, looks and sounds great, on R.I.P. Society

Logjammers - s/t 7"

just got in some copies of this from no patience records








logjammers - s/t 7"

Named after the porno in The Big Lebowski - this shortlived bunch of Brisbane guys and gals got together at the start of 2010 to put a hardcore tilt on the Australian murder-punk sound. Taking influence from the PSYCHO SURGEONS, BABEEZ, and the SICK THINGS but injecting a hefty dose of noize and idiocy, this is truly the sound of irritation. 3 tracks of noisy catchy Australian punk. Equal parts addictive and annoying. Play loud and throw things. If you dig groups like the UV RACE and EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING this is the most noisy and retarded output from that school of thought. Mixed and mastered by Mikey Young from EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING, TOTAL CONTROL and THE OOGA BOOGAS. This will appeal as much to fans of garage punk as it will those who dig noize punk in the vein of WANKYS or CONFUSE etc.

7" review from YELLOWGREENRED.com:

Here we go, The Logjammers. They are Australian, title their songs numerically (”Hit 1″, “Hit 2″ and “Hit 3″ comprise this single), and arrive with no artistic aspirations - that’s really all I know about this excellent group. “Hit 1″ starts off like Confuse or Gudon or some other ear-bleeding Japanese noise-punk band, but then it settles into some sort of fiendish groove that crosses paths with Killdozer, Pillow Talk and the aforementioned Japanese noisers. Not a bad start! “Hit 2″ pogos like a revved-up Lamps (as interpreted by developmentally-challenged schoolchildren), and “Hit 3″ actually kinda grooves a little, if you can excuse the singer’s emotional breakdown and the guitarist’s compulsion to solo at the end of every riff. From the looks of things, I was expecting a stupid record, but I got the punkest, ugliest sort of stupid I ever could’ve wanted. Think I’m gonna jam another log right now.'

bitch prefect int at vice

http://www.viceland.com/blogs/en/2011/08/12/rettsounds-bitch-prefect/

new from NGL

The NGL onslaught continues, aussie issue of unholy 2 lp and wings over gabba, a compilation lp just arrived.


UNHOLY 2 - $$kum of the Earth LP (NGL013)

One hundred copies exist of the Australian pressing of Unholy 2's 2010 hard-rock hit, '$$kum of the Earth'. You already know and love the tunes here: "Sick Fuck", "Sullivan Killed Benoit" and "Do the Horsecock", to name but three. There's a bonus track and alternate screened artwork for those of you who own the "OG" and want to upgrade. Is the Australian public ready for 'Skum..', sure to remind them subconsciously of their criminal ancestry of rape, murder & thievery? Well, it's too late now... at least I left half the press in the States.

Wings Over Gabba(best of Songs of Negativity) is pretty self explanatory, the best songs that came off of the occasional cd that came with Negative Guest List.
side one: mordecai- king of infinate space, meathump - wynnummanly seagulls feathered, sewers - lineage, blank realm - burgers in out midst, kitchen's floor - needs
side two: jaguar - my only friend, future blones - feed time, butcher cover - detention centre, hatefuck - well dressed man, rubbish throwers - whitewashed, bits of shit - patrol

More from NGL

The NGL onslaught continues, aussie issue of unholy 2 lp and wings over gabba, a compilation lp just arrived.


UNHOLY 2 - $$kum of the Earth LP (NGL013)

One hundred copies exist of the Australian pressing of Unholy 2's 2010 hard-rock hit, '$$kum of the Earth'. You already know and love the tunes here: "Sick Fuck", "Sullivan Killed Benoit" and "Do the Horsecock", to name but three. There's a bonus track and alternate screened artwork for those of you who own the "OG" and want to upgrade. Is the Australian public ready for 'Skum..', sure to remind them subconsciously of their criminal ancestry of rape, murder & thievery? Well, it's too late now... at least I left half the press in the States.

Wings Over Gabba(best of Songs of Negativity) is pretty self explanatory, the best songs that came off of the occasional cd that came with Negative Guest List.
side one: mordecai- king of infinate space, meathump - wynnummanly seagulls feathered, sewers - lineage, blank realm - burgers in out midst, kitchen's floor - needs
side two: jaguar - my only friend, future blones - feed time, butcher cover - detention centre, hatefuck - well dressed man, rubbish throwers - whitewashed, bits of shit - patrol

jesus christ

NGL is taking it out the record industry now, three new 7"s from T.J.S.A., Blank Realm (one sided cover of hey little child/alex chilton) and Eagle Boys.  Blank Realm and Eagle Boys covers are here, TJSA were supposed to be here first, so possibly tonight(?)

R.I.P. Society

two new 7"s in Bed Wetting Bad Boys and Woolen Kits

Painkillers

got the painkillers in
     Acoustic guitar and drums might seem like a limiting set-up. But Perth duo The Painkillers coax so much out of it – from garage and country to blues and early rock. Passing references to those genres are dispensed as offhandedly as frontman Joe Bludge’s lyrics about women, drink, and other mixed blessings in life. The rock pedigree of drummer James Baker, meanwhile, has long been off the charts: his past bands include The Victims, The Scientists, The Hoodoo Gurus, Beasts of Bourbon, and The Dubrovniks. He falls committedly into step with Bludge’s cautionary rambles, four of which he co-wrote on this punchy third album.

cd only

some new reviews from vice

http://www.viceland.com/blogs/en/2011/06/24/rettsounds-not-all-christian-music-sucks/#more-34605

The R.I.P Society label out of Sydney just doesn’t know when to stop when it comes to putting out boss ass vinyl. The last batch of shit I got from them included the more or less perfect Bitch Prefect 7”, which I enjoy quite thoroughly, thank you very much. I’m guessing the, uh… lilt of this single might be too much for some of you tough guys out there, but if you’re the type who wished those Sarah bands were a bit more inept and downed-out, this might be your type of thing.

Then we also have the debut LP from Perth’s Golden Staph, whose femme-fronted squall and sprawl reminds me of the early 80s LA band Mood of Defiance sent forward in time to be influenced by Goner Records alumni and other assorted sunglass wearers. But hey… that could just be the way the afternoon beer is hitting me. Next up on R.I.P Society is stuff from Bed Wettin’ Bad Boys and Woolen Hats, so sit tight and put on your best bib for their arrival.

Read the rest at Vice Magazine: RETTSOUNDS - NOT ALL CHRISTIAN MUSIC SUCKS - Viceland Today

And coming in just in time to soundtrack your summertime shenanigans is Separation Anxiety, the debut long player from that Aussie dumbo rock super group, Divorced. These days it’s very rare to get an ear load of a band with a genuine stupid-and-drunk-and-I-don’t-give-a-shit vibe that doesn’t come off like a bunch of closet ascot donners, but these guys nailed it. They play in such an honest fashion it would make Dick Manitoba, Peter ‘Dirty’ Jones, and maybe even Steve Corbin proud and green with envy. Recycled riffs from their countrymen, songs about pissing on couches and wanting to be dead, horribly awesome cover art… it’s all there. All you need is a case of Shlitz and this disc and your party is ON!

Read the rest at Vice Magazine: RETTSOUNDS - NOT ALL CHRISTIAN MUSIC SUCKS - Viceland Today

gonerfest 8

It's Going Down September 22-25th, 2011 in Memphis, TN!


w/ Alarm Clocks, Icky Boyfriends, Ty Segall, Royal Headache, Black Sunday, Kitchen's Floor, Deaf Wish, Brides, Straight Arrows + Tons More To Be Announced Soon!


http://www.gonerfest.com/

rip society

vinyls are in for new bed wetting bad boys and woolen kits 7"s waiting on some stuff, but do out very soon

wonderfuls

i thought it was still on the list, got some more copies of the 7"

here's another take on it from Byron Coley;
‎"Great debut single by an excellent Brisbane duo. The sounds range from toasted acoustic tunes to raunchy, effects driven riff-rock of a very shabby nature. their vocals sound drunk as hell, alternately filled with snot and utterly lost. The songs have enough pop structure to hold together, and the results are goddamn inspired."

new stuff in

 in case you didn't notice, there is a bunch of stuff in with more on the way,

slug guts - livin' evil (live lp from NGL)(out of stock, try goner)
kitchen's Floor - too dead to notice (live cassette from NGL) (out of stock)
 hatefuck - 7" (NGL)
lakes - winters blade lp (inverted crux)
Divorced - Separation Anxieties - LP(Untapped Resources)
are all just here, and i'm expecting new 7"s from rip society any time

Royal Headache interview

http://www.hearplugs.net/2011/05/royal-headache-interview/

another new one

looks like someone made the list

Wonderfuls – s/t 7” EP (Negative Guest List)

Drug rock, right down to the syringe scars on the arm depicted on the front sleeve. Attempts a Royal Trux/Pink Reason sort of addict realness/coolness but misses by a lot, probably due to competent leans on the guitar underneath all those effects pedals. There’s a sad story behind this record (and it came all the way from Australia), but to use it to sell music is kind of creepy. I’m awaiting punishment from the Negative Guest List in their next issue but there isn’t much here to recommend. (http://negativeguestlist.blogspot.com)
(Doug Mosurock)

Some new reviews

Lakes is a new album that is on it's way to me now.  All these reviews are from http://www.yellowgreenred.com/

Naked On The Vague Abstract Figures 7″ (R.I.P. Society)


This “full band” Naked On The Vague hasn’t moved me like their earliest records did, but after catching it live (good show), and spinning this new single a few times, they seem to be coming into their own a bit (or I am just finally opening up to the idea). “Abstract Figures” isn’t ’90s Alternative in the way that Heaps Of Nothing was, this is bleak and moody death-rock that plucks the petals off black roses faster than you can say “Bauhaus”. Very cool tune, it’s like what I wish Effi Briest sounded like. Same goes for “Reflections of Strangeness”, soaked in a Cocteau Twins bath and left to dry in Ian Curtis’ unmade bed. Both tracks just seem like a much more comfortable band than I was getting used to, settling into a very specific sound but throwing it down effortlessly. I’m not one to celebrate bands who “mature”, but this single is nearly enough to change my stance. Nicely done.






Lakes Winters Blade LP (Inverted Crux)


As an American, sometimes peering into the Australian underground is like looking into a mirror that displays a slightly cooler version of yourself. Up until this point, I didn’t think that Cult Of Youth’s vibe had any representation down under, but now we’ve got Lakes, the sigil-worshiping, crux-inverting, Death In June-ing occult rock group. Corny in their exact specificity, perhaps, but Lakes ain’t half bad - the drums are big and round, and the guitars never as Ren-Faire as Cult Of Youth often get, leading to a nice set of funeral seances that refuses to wither in the sun. The vocalist is a little off-putting at first, as he’s clearly trying to sing in a register deeper than his chest cavity can provide, but I got used to it halfway into the first side and enjoyed Winters Blade through its finish. Could’ve just been a pile of bones, but these come with sacred potential.



Knife Fight Hobbies 7″ (Aarght!)


Second Knife Fight to be reviewed within YGR, and while this flailing garage-punk band is pretty sweet, my loyalty still remains to the American hardcore group of the same name (they’re like a Thanksgiving dinner compared to the junk food and soda of Hobbies). Hobbies kind of sounds like one of those crazy French garage bands, like Cheveu before they got talent, or the Cheeraks, or some other disposable-yet-cool band whose 7″ you keep putting in the sell pile but never get rid of. There’s essentially zero bass on these four songs, yet it’s still a loud record at any volume, resulting in an appropriately self-conscious listening experience while my neighbors are home. Definitely reminds me of where this whole scene was like three years ago, not where it’s at now (which makes sense as this was recorded in 2008), but while flame-broiled garage-core was never the coolest thing around, a band like Knife Fight never really goes out of style, either.



Boomgates Layman’s Terms / Nothing 7″ (SmartGuy)


Nice to see another Boomgates single, as their debut was an adorable pinch of indie-pop that’s still sticking with me. “Layman’s Terms” sounds good from the start, a sort of mid-period Pavement groove with Brendan Suppression (or is he Brendan Boomgate?) waxing poetic about something romantic, eventually joined by Steph Hughes’ comforting voice, windows open and Ray-Bans on. I’d expect a title like “Nothing” to be at least mildly pessimistic, and while it may be the least happy Boomgates song I’ve heard, it’s still a friendly handshake of an indie tune, strutting with a cool beat and Brendan’s spoken vocals. Reminds of something Eddy Current would’ve done on Rush To Relax, really, as there’s a manic guitar freakout toward the end, and the general pulse of the tune plays out in classic Eddy Current fashion. It’s hard not to hear echoes of Eddy Current in Brendan’s voice no matter what he’s doing, but let’s face it, I am yet to hear any Eddy Current influence I haven’t enjoyed. Maybe this single’s not as strong as the Boomgates debut overall, but it’s an enjoyable follow-up to be sure. It’s a rule that after two vinyl releases, your Australian punk band has to book a tour of the United States, right? It’s about that time…

New stuff from the NGL empire

at some point this week should have copies of issue #16 and #26 as well as covers for Slug Guts - livin' evil and hatefuck 7".

I've heard of other stuff coming in, but i'm certain these were posted to me

boomgates

talked to the pressing plant and the split 7" with super wild horses is really, really on it's way to me, here's a live set

http://fanmaderecordings.blogspot.com/2011/05/boomgates-rrr-performance-space-2011-05.html


They have arrived, into goner later today, other distro's can hit me up

boomgates/super wild horses 7"

http://www.threethousand.com.au/hear/boomgates-super-wild-horses-self-released-split-7/

hopefully in this week

R.I.P. Society

just got Golden Staph lp and Naked On The Vague 7"

teaser for rip society

some of the stuff i'm waiting for

http://soundcloud.com/ripsociety

new stuff

a BUNCH of new stuff is on the way, some has started to trickle in, but things like vinyl without the sleeves, i'll get it all announced and the list back up top when i start getting it

wonderfuls

Somersaulting Coincidences.....The Wonderfuls S/T 7" ep

There's been this fanzine what's sprung up down to Australia called Negative Guest List & it's got lot's of crows crowin. Which is a good thing. 'Cept I am a sad fuckin sap & ain't even seen an issue. Ever! The feller what's behind it, Mr. Brendan Somethinorother, seems like a straight shooter though, so's here's hopin such a glarin oversight is rectified soon. But then before I's could even get a gander at page one he's gone & released a 7", usin the street cred of the NGL name as collateral. Hmmmm, now where have I come across this business model before?
Anyways, the Wonderfuls s/t 7" is a humdinger & a half. Purported to be the work of 2 cousins-one's of which is mentally unstable (LOOK WHO'S TALKING?-Capt'n Siltbreeze)-these 4 tracks rank this hoss high amongst the recent Aussie imports. It has a deliciously skewered crackle that recalls 4 different bands what was citizens within the Terse Tapes universe 1 million art-noise punk years ago. I mean listen to it! At any given time they could be Holiday Fun, East End Butchers, Agent Orange, Pastel Bats, Invisible Boys, Wet Taxis, Lazio Toth, Lunatic Fringe, Mice Against God, Pissy Relay Switches, Mesh & Disneyland but never Bathroom Beans, Art Throbs, Mindless Delta Children, Junk Logic, Painkillers, Saxaphone Caper, Zzzzzzzzz, The Klu, Negative Reaction, Laughing Hands, JP Sartre Band or Disneyland. It's a slippery slope, you know? But The Wonderfuls sound like they's squiggle is just right.Let's hear more! Long may they swish.
Via;
negativeguestlist.blogspot.com, www.goner-records.com
& ineedinsulation.blogspot.com/

from http://siltblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/somersaulting-coincidencesthe.html

teaser for aarght

new single coming
http://aso.gov.au/titles/documentaries/forerunner/clip3/

some new stuff in

just got Alps - Alps of New South Wails lp, blown out pop with some hints of new order
bloodclot faggots7" (named after a Bad Brains put down of the Big Boys after a show in Texas) and a couple new ngl's printing them tmrw, expecting some other stuff in so none of this is going out until friday

just got the aussie version of slug guts - howling gang in, alternate cover to the us version. not trying to step on any toes, very few copies for completists or ausphiles.
some copies in goner but probably won't go on the cart until monday

just got the first vinyl release from negative guest list

The Wonderfuls - S/T 7"

The Wonderfuls are cousins Bobby (vocals) and Danny (guitar). Recording started shortly after Bobby was released from a relapse stint at the local psychward, and continued over a four year period under intense psychiatric treatment. Their self titled 7” contains 4 tunes, decalcified from 2004-7, that recall 'Twin Infinitives'/'Singles, Live and Unreleased'-era Royal Trux Playing the Devil's Music. If the 'Waste Sausage' or 'Leather Donut' comps were centred around Brisbane bands butterflying in the contemporary shitpool, rather than the dark side of 1980's King's Cross, at least one of these tunes would've been a surefire album highlight, instead of, er.....Purple Vulture Shit. If the Urinals grew up in dregs of Woolloongabba and Red Hill, then just look at what the pisser spat up. But enough w/ the “reference points”, right? Wonderfuls are part blazed guitar band, part performance art shoguns. Listen up and you will hear genuinely damaged cuts about rejection, Piss Fisting, and adult romance. Four of them in as many years.

With the deluge of interest in underground Australian music continuing to grow pig-wings, it's only fair that the freaks get their fifteen minutes, and these two gentlemen are as Weird and Wonderful as they come.

knife fight 7" is here, got it to goner today, other stores will have to wait until after sxsw, where Fuzz will be making their debut at goner's beerland showcase

still waiting on a couple other covers and have to print the latest issues of negative guestlist when i get back

Deaf Wish Mercy LP (Radio)Gotta say, for all the great Australian bands I’ve enjoyed in the past few years, I can’t think of any I’d particularly describe as “mature”. I mean, Eddy Current can get pretty introspective, but they still seem to be coming from the mind of a child, and Fabulous Diamonds are too funky, and Circle Pit too sleazy… Deaf Wish are probably the first recent Aussie group I’ve encountered that sound like they have advanced arts degrees to go along with their home mortgages. Stoic, serious indie rock that reminds me of anything from Cat Power to The Scientists; very moody and precise rock music, peppered with dramatic outbursts and cool come-downs. The clear-and-present recording, talented playing and eclectic song variety all make Mercy a satisfying, deep listen, one that has taken me a number of weeks to finally get a handle on. I always knew it was cool from the first time my eyes met the cover art, it just took a while to really settle into what Deaf Wish had in store. If there was an Australian Drag City Records, I’d imagine they’d be all over something like this.

http://www.yellowgreenred.com/

a bunch a new huzzahs here

http://www.terminal-boredom.com/rk2010.html

Believe it or not, I know an Australian guy named Bruce and he was kind enough to send me a hell of a large satchel of goods to talk about here on Rettsounds. This Bruce guy is the man responsible for the Easter Bilby distribution ring down south that’s turned on many an ugly USA type to the skuzzy, aural beauty coming out of Australia as of late. The whole recent stampede of greatness coming from that country has really turned my head around and made me a born again record monger foaming and frothing for the newest and greatest shit from that overgrown insane asylum. Trying to nail down all this stuff from the asshole know-it-all perspective can be a real toughy. Just when you think you’re caught up, some out-of-nowhere ass wallop comes out of nowhere to both humble and make you gooey in the salamander with wide-eared glee. My suggestion is just let go of your shallow nerd boy “Where do I start?” paranoia and just dive the fuck in. It seems no matter where you start, finish, or begin, everything coming from the Land Down Under is the boobies.

Read the rest at Vice Magazine: RETTSOUNDS - THE SCENE DOWN UNDER - Viceland Today


just for the record, i'm not australian and i don't work at goner, two most common misconceptions

got some new stuff, more copes of golden boys scorpion stomp lp as well as james arthur manttt 7", hits lp and split 7" with demi dero, texas tea lp, and undead apes lp. waiting for covers on a couple other things

just got #18 and #19 of negative guest list, late arvo sons 7" and sailors 7"

an easter bilby "review"

haha

More missives from Australia, sent with care to me in oversized packages by one Easter Bilby of Memphis, TN, arrived last week. This individual has been batting well above the Mendoza line with a flow of independent releases from tiny labels down under.