School Damage

Melbourne, Australia-based School Damage combine the melodic charm of <a href="spotify:artist:3VzyBAQ0BgoeQGdJf9Q1AQ">Chook Race</a> and the scrappy punk of <a href="spotify:artist:7i5Twj7Q1qiS27JnHhNTW5">Ausmuteants</a> -- which makes sense since guitarist/vocalists Carolyn Hawkins and <a href="spotify:artist:4Cs7vIXPqwrvv1WT5bSzBv">Jake Robertson</a> are members of those bands (Hawkins of the former; <a href="spotify:artist:4Cs7vIXPqwrvv1WT5bSzBv">Robertson</a> of the latter). Their early singles and first album have a lo-fi, post-punk charm, but 2018's A to X shows the band gaining some poise and expanding their sound

Both Hawkins and <a href="spotify:artist:4Cs7vIXPqwrvv1WT5bSzBv">Robertson</a> were deeply involved in Melbourne's D.I.Y. scene, and each of them have a long history of membership in local indie bands like <a href="spotify:artist:3VzyBAQ0BgoeQGdJf9Q1AQ">Chook Race</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7i5Twj7Q1qiS27JnHhNTW5">Ausmuteants</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1jjeMkYEedNSLiVXxWfKsu">Frowning Clouds</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1VhEunAB4u5NqJZy5fnElq">Leather Towel</a>, and many others. They originally worked together on new material that channeled obscure early underground indie artists such as <a href="spotify:artist:0tQ2Q4y9iUkKszxXyB14ZH">Young Marble Giants</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2relx7B4Zu0aiGhE3iO0Cf">the Cannanes</a>, but the pair quickly realized the songs warranted a full-band setup, and they enlisted bassist Dani Damage and drummer Jeff Raty to fill out their sound and give them some post-punk punch.

The band played regionally and released several 7"s and cassettes before completing work on a self-titled debut album that was released in June of 2017 on the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Chapter+Music%22">Chapter Music</a> label. In 2018, they issued a single for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Upset+the+Rhythm%22">Upset the Rhythm</a> titled Sings...Four Songs About One Cat, then released their second album, the slightly more polished A to X, in August. ~ Fred Thomas, Rovi