Altsounds - Cut Off Your Hands

Cut Off Your Hands are like any other indie band...jumpy guitars, catchy beats and easy-to-sing-along-to lyrics. It’s not distinctive, it’s not new and it’s certainly not original.

Hailing from the land of many sheep, aka New Zealand, Cut Off Your Hands were originally called ‘Shaky Hands’. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately?) they were forced to change their name when an American band called; The Shaky Hands threatened a law suit against them. Oh so rock and roll.

Their album, produced by Bernard Butler (Manic Street Preachers, Suede, Libertines), is set for release in January next year. In the meantime they have offered an album sampler to give an idea of the shape of things to come...

First up is ‘Expectations’. With it’s choppy rhythm, and memorable-ish chorus, this song was made for an NME playlist. It screams indie, and it screams average.

Next, ‘Oh Girl’, which has such lyrical genius as: “Oh girl/Can you come over to my house?/Oh we can do things that we’ve never done/We can just talk it can be such fun”. Not really very in-line with a band whose name makes reference to limbs being removed. It’s not totally dis-likable but it’s a bit wishy-washy, and sadly, ‘Heartbreak’ follows the same formula.

The more upbeat ‘Still Fond’ offers a slight respite from the monotony, but it still falls victim to the same-old same-old indie sound. It’s uplifting, light and accessible indie-pop. That said, being ‘fond’ of someone is a phrase my parents use... unless it’s a well-used phrase in New Zealand. What do I know?

‘It Doesn’t Matter’ makes them sound scarily English - reminiscent of The Courteeners or some other nondescript Northern band. It does have a fun little bit of whistling towards the end of the song though.

If there is a stand-out track to be found on this album, it has to be ‘Happy As Can Be’. With a catchy melody, rousing harmonies and an overall more energetic sound, this track could well be their one-hit-wonder.

All in all, it’s inoffensive and listenable, but it’s not something that you’d be playing on repeat. Apparently they are rather impressive live though, so perhaps there is hope yet for Cut Off Your Hands...

http://www.myspace.com/cutoffyourhands