Human Hands - Your Neighbour the Liar - split - 7

Labels: Eat A Book – time as a color – too cool to dance
Review by: Andy Malcolm

I like that we have 2 very different bands on this record here. I am hoping that a lot of the younger folks who dig the pleasant melodies of Your Neighbour will be blown away by the bleak miserablemo of the mighty Human Hands. Though I wouldn’t blame them if they just thought “œfuck these tedious sods, I’m off to hi-five my bros whilst listening to Algernon Cadwallader”. If you’re 18, and life is good, you don’t want to be wasting your time curled up in a ball on your bedroom floor, gently rocking back and forth whilst Human Hands relentlessly ramp up your depression. But if you’re predisposed to such behaviour, Human Hands is your soundtrack. The track here is aptly named “œBuilding” and is as fine a lesson learned at the Indian Summer school as you are liable to encounter. Dual vocalled wailing, sad sad sad guitar and a bassline that just piles it on even further. A true end of the world special.

Your Neighbour deliver “œJohn Slow”, which is hardly chirpy itself. It’s a slow burner and brings the ‘mo with full effect. Rather neatly, it doesn’t sound like any specific band, but perhaps blends a touch of Mineral and a touch of Van Pelt. The guitars twinkle moodily, and the vocals gather pace from almost spoken into yelling. The song feels kind of short, at least compared to HH’s epic on the flip.

Split delivers the sad. Thanks bands. Thands.