still single review

Woollen Kits – s/t LP (R.I.P. Society) / “22/09/11” CS (Fan Death)

RECOMMENDED

Whatever was missing with regards to legit/genuine undergrad punk/lo-fi response as provided by Woollen Kits’ first single is remedied here. They’re an Australian trio (two guitars and drums when I saw them, though there seems to be a bass on some of the album tracks), cut and decorated to fit in between the rancorous sentiments of non-mersh Midwestern American rocknroll and the soft, longing side of twee and indie pop. Certainly the band’s lyrics – usually in the “I will love you forever/But you must be true” sort of simple, idealized facsimile of 20th century pop – could raise some eyebrows, as would the foghorn vocals of guitarist Tom (last name unknown), who at best matches the slumber party timbre of Calvin Johnson. Hey, it’s the voice the dude was born with, so I’m cutting him a break. It took a few spins, and seeing this band live, to get it all to click, and I’m happy to say that it now does, their overall blare and the uncomplicated, positive energy they pass around in concert mode (duly represented in Fan Death’s cassette/MP3 download of the Kits’ performance somewhere back home), somewhere in between the Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments and Beat Happening, a rugged sound with a lovable core. They’re two fine releases that further cement Australia’s current land-dominance of quality rock music. (http://ripsocietyrecords.tumblr.com) (http://www.fandeathrecords.com)
(Doug Mosurock)