 The new Actress Hands single, Half An Hour, came out in November 2006, backed with What's The Name Of The Planet You're From? (limited 7" and very limited CD) Alex White produced their debut album in September at Truck studios. Visit their Myspace and Website They also have a new forum To mark the 10th anniversary of Truck Festival, Truck Records will be issuing a limited series of 10 7″ Singles leading up to Truck 10, 2007, the first of which is a split - Electric Soft Parade/Actress Hands out now - more info - Buy from Truck The Electric Soft Parade: Life In The Back-Seat - b/w Actress Hands: Why The Sale November 2006: Actress Hands mentioned on Radio 1!! During an interview Eamon from Brakes points out ESP have recorded a new album and Alex has done one with Actress Hands. Read a new interview with the band at subba-cultcha.com  driftrecords.co.uk has a beautiful acoustic version of Everyone's Got To Fallen Into Line by Matt Eaton - in their music player. Play the original at their Myspace Also available from Pure Groove Records "Featuring one of Electric Soft Parade this is another winning release from Brighton-based Life Is Easy Records"  click here for back sleeve Life Is Easy Records has some tracks streaming at their website. A song automatically plays when you visit the site. The media player is at the bottom right of the intro page Tracks are: Dream Lover & Lawyers by Actress Hands, Sticky Eyes & Luke Warm by Restlesslist. As you know Alex is on guitar/vocals in Actress Hands and Tom plays drums with Restlesslist. Make Friends with Life Is Easy @ Myspace (the b-side is The Finishing Line and not the song in the review) Their second album Cattle Grid will follow on CD/Vinyl. With regards to the members of Actress Hands, Alex is still very much a member of the band, always has been which is something people forget/didn't know. Him and Tom financed the recordings since they started out in June 2002, it's just he'll miss gigs from time to time. The band are pleased to appoint Jonny Lamb from Thirty Pounds of Bone on bass. Check out Jonny's label driftrecords.co.uk This up and coming four piece blend vocal melodies and harmonies with crunching guitar riffs to form their catchy songs. Have been described in the past as sounding ‘like Coldplay on prozac, trying to play like The Pixies’. Singer/guitarist Matt Eaton was once a member of cult Brighton band Brighter Lunch. The band is yet to release a record, but look out for a debut album sometime soon (from The Brighton Live Music Scene by Ian originally printed in the Irish Post) "The band are as rocking as ever with their clever key changes and spikey guitar pop sound..." They say: "Majestic, harmony led indie..." Review of their first self produced album Another band from Brighton? Where are they all coming from? The latest in a long line of exciting bands to come from the coast, Actress Hands are another fine example of all that’s good about the Indie Rock scene. They may not have caught the eye of any record label fatcats yet or played many gigs outside of Brighton, but locally they’re steadily building up a solid live following, and this, their first full length recording, could well win them many more fans yet. Formed around the song writing talent of singer / guitarist Matt Eaton (who was previously in Brighter Lunch with Eamon of Brakes / British Sea Power fame), they combine guitar, bass, drums and keyboards and synths to create their highly catchy off kilter sound. They also recently roped in Electric Soft Parade man Alex White as a second guitarist to add to their already formidable sound and four part vocal harmonies. Over the course of the nine tracks on this recording they try their hand at a number of different styles whilst always managing to keep their own distinct sound. Songs range from the chiming guitars and delicate arrangements of album opener ‘Everyone’s Got To Fallen Into Line’, to catchy hook laden guitar rockers such as ‘Half an Hour’, ‘What's the Name Of The Planet You're From’ as well as slower country tinged numbers like ‘The Doyle’. The use of cornet on a few tunes such as ‘Normally I Might Be Tempted’ and ‘Everybody’s In Love’ adds another interesting dimension to the bands overall complex arrangements. The past has brought comparisons with the likes of Teenage Fanclub, Guided By Voices and My Bloody Valentine, and while these influences are obvious, they’ve still managed to craft their own unique sound. If quirky tunefulness, spiky guitar pop and melody is your thing then let Actress Hands into your life, or even better just do yourself a favour and check them out anyway... you might just like them. From their website: The second Actress Hands album entitled 'Cattle Grid' is being mastered at present by (ex-Hands Bassist) Jon Grey. It was produced, engineered and mixed by Marc Beatty and Alex White and recorded at Princess Studios, Kemptown in the first week of May 2005 thanks to incredible hospitality and generosity from Eamon, Neil and Marc who run/live in it. The track listing is: Snack Horse, Just Before you take the first step, Cannibal Holocaust (main theme), Lawyers, Dream Lover, Being Sure, Winners and Losers, The Soldier Statesman. |