MP3: Held By Hands - Trading on Past Treasures

“the weather
is as good as it could have been
and we rowed
to the centre of the river…

traced our fingers through
the surface of the water”

These sort of songs just have to be over 5 minutes long. Unsettled grey-skies of whispered lyrics and quietly plucked strings send us away from the dusk with ever increasing energy, with spaced-out predictions of what the night will bring. There’s no inevitable crescendo, it’s far too unknowable to make such a guess: it could become dawn at any moment.

Held By Hands could do anything they like. And they do: electric-guitar feedback shreds the stars and moon and scatters a light: causing everyone to sing… “MY GOD WE WERE INNOCENT. MY GOD IT WAS IT WAS SUCH A GOOD TIME“. This isn’t the music I live for, it’s music that exemplifies a perfect time, and it is done with passion, soul, eagerness and a disconnected lofi-shape that is too infectious to not get excited about.

*********

myspace.com/heldbyhands

Next gig:
10 Mar 2008 // Leeds: Brudenell Social Club // Held By Hands + Casiotone For The Painfully Alone + Gossamer Albatross.

**********

Photo credit: Noeluap + Jjjohn.

**********

I am continually amazed by the sort of music that emerges out of our fair isles. Much much more music is gasping for inclusion over the next week or so.

**********

Also:

VBS.tv: The interview with Graham Coxon over at Vice Magazine’s website (which is really a TV channel) is intelligent and revealing: he discusses work ethic, art vs music and speaks with an honest and undulled enthusiasm.

BigArtMob.com: Is attempt to log the location and preserve all sorts of street art across the world, but mostly in the U.K. They are roping in various bands and other well-travelled urban dwellers to get the ball rolling, and use mobile phones to send pictures of the art. Channel 4 are sponsoring the initiative as part of a Big Art Project they have planned for the summer.

//