The Thousands

Jamming good – San Francisco’s Wooden Shjips have all the sea rhythm and outsized heaviness their name suggests. Loving on the strung-out sounds of ‘60s dead flower psychedelic rock, these guys make no beef with dropping out completely – ploughing a riff into the red ad nauseam and deep into the earth. Sounding like a Les Razilles Denude cover band is a miraculous thing, but Wooden Shjips do it – and if that’s the worst thing you can say about them, at the same time it’s also the best. Dig on the hopped-up Doors organ, heaving bass, harsh riffing and general magma-heavy vibes here, tripper.**Volume 1 collects the group’s early out-of-print vinyl material – six mammoth tracks arched as one huge smoke rainbow. ‘Shrinking The Moon For You’ is balls-to-the wall from the start – the simplest of riffs played at tearing volume for eight, juiced-up and humming minutes. ‘Death’s Not Your Friend’ sedates The Modern Lovers’ ‘She Cracked’ tune – bleeding it’s guts, dancing on the skeleton – ‘Space Clothes’ is a twisted, Nembutal tape-mix downer, but then it’s back to the endless feedback boogie with ‘Clouds Over Earthquake’ ’til closeout. Almost as heavy as a death in the family.