Shaky Hands - Let it Die

  by Lisa Torem

published: 13 / 12 / 2009

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Review

The Portland, Oregon based Shaky Hands are Mayhaw Hoons, Jeff Lehman, Nicholas Delffs and Jake Morris. 2009 has been a jam-filled year. In January they welcomed new drummer Jake Morris (Juggers, Grails) and they toured with the Meat Puppets. March found them travailing the Texas SXSW fest, followed with extensive touring with the Thermals. Their studio work began with 2003's self-released ‘The Skidmore Days’, and ‘Bonnie Doon’ (named after a sentimental locale) and continued with 2007's self-titled tour de force, ‘Lundlight’ in 2008 and now the exciting ’09 fully-fleshed release of ‘Let It Die.’ Though their MySpace site lists the group as progressive/concrete and fusion, I say it’s easier to simply cut through the strict categorizations and proclaim that this group’s music is immediately infectious and sonically satisfying despite any genre drama that comes to mind. Their original guitar-based and piano- tinged songs evoke strong and visceral emotions. They’ve been compared to 60's British Invasion idols such as the Kinks, the Who and the Zombies as well as the earthy, post-hippie era American singer-songwriter and strummer, Neil Young. The title track ,‘Let It Die’. sharply plunges us into the hard-driving, steady and satisfying world that Shaky Hands so deftly inhabits. You’ll hear smatterings of gruff Eric Burden and riffs that Keith Richards might have enthusiastically composed. But, to that list of aforementioned influences, I wouldn’t hesitate to add the infectious and road- trippy appeal of the Grateful Dead well-evidenced in ‘Caught in the Storm,’ and the irreverent sensuality and Dylanesque vocal interpretation – bordering a southern drawl - which rears its cautionary head in the image-laden ‘Allison and the Ancient Eyes’. The piano-based ballad, ‘Already Gone’, embues warm shades of solo John Lennon and is both movingly tender and throbbingly honky- tonk flavoured. Theses are my favorites, although the album is filled with other tunes that embrace great energy and danceable grooves. Closer ‘Leave It All’ veers into surprising Hare Krishna devotional murmurs and begins with the line, “you fell off the roof last night onto the ground.” This think piece leaves you wanting more. ‘Let It Die’ is an album which assures that Shaky Hands will keeps your attention happily held.

Track Listing:-

1 Let It Die
2 Never Fine
3 Slip Away
4 Love Curse
5 All You Recall
6 Caught In The Storm
7 Don't Fail Me Now
8 Already Gone
9 Gonna Hold You Tonight
10 Allison And The Ancient Eyes
11 Leave It All

Label Links:-

http://www.killrockstars.com/
https://www.facebook.com/killrockstars
https://twitter.com/killrockstars
https://www.youtube.com/user/KillRockS
http://killrockstars.bandcamp.com/