from volcanic tongue

Hammering The Cramps
s/t
Wormwood Grasshopper Records WG-02
Totally fantastic archival unearthing documenting this pre-Drunk Elk project from Hobart, Tasmania. The sound is classic edge-of-the-world hypnotically degraded avant lurch, with the kinda grasp of extended rock tongue that defined the more damaged group sounds coming out of the Xpressway stable but with an emphatically powerful grasp of massed No Wave guitar movements and the kinda higher-mind feel for tortuously beautiful melodies of This Kind Of Punishment. But it’s the walls of endless strung-out guitars that really seal the deal with a euphoric repeating aspect that comes over like a Valkyrie Dead C or The Clean play Glenn Branca topped off with classic wasted/desperate vocals. Hard to believe they kept themselves a secret for so long but this is fantastic. Edition of 300 copies. Highly recommended!

Woollen Kits
s/t
RIP Society RIP-024

Great wide-eyed stumble punk from this Australian group who mine the more melodic/primitive end of the Flying Nun catalogue, with keen dual vocals over two guitars and stand-up drums. There’s a hint of the Sound Of Young Scotland here, with a DIY aesthetic that reflects on Postcard Records as well as associated satellites like the early VU-worshipping Go-Betweens sides while there’s a little of The Smashchords to the way the twin guitars tangle around each other and some of the ‘deeper’ male vocals summon the ghost of Beat Happening’s Calvin Johnson, which is to say that is a great side of DIY teenage rock with a classy non-musicianly appeal and the kinda winning naivety of your favourite bedroom rocker. Comes with a download. Recommended.