Little Boots - Hands (679)
3/5
By: Stephen Maughan
BUY DOWNLOADCurrent media sensation Little Boots has released her solo album to further applause and a thousand star struck journalists celebrate by writing headlines such as "The future of pop is in safe hands" (actually written by an Independent on Sunday-type). For Little Boots was the winner of the BBC Sound of 2009 award and effortlessly melted fragile hearts with a triumphant performance on Later with Jools Holland last year, and expectation is high on this debut release, which rather eloquently brings the grace of Saint Etienne and the glamour of Kylie Minogue. Every credible journalist will agree this is a good album, but let's take a step back and forget about all the press coverage, the cosy chat on BBC Breakfast last week and the attention on the charming Victoria Hesketh, and focus on the music itself.
I'm personally surprised from glancing at the weekend newspapers that Little Boots was given more space than all the other week's releases, including the latest gem from Sonic Youth (for that is actually the album to buy this week). All the same, Hands is a perfectly produced pop album, of the kind that would have played endlessly in your local Woolworths and got the staff, old and young alike, tapping their fingers all day long. It's the kind of record that's harmless, predictable in a reassuring way and one that manages to unite the glamorous disco queen with the troubled indie kid, all marching in search of a good time for the infectious appeal of snappy lyrics and polished sounds. Well don't worry soldiers, Little Boots will take you there. In 'Hearts Collide' Miss Hesketh assures us "Baby when our hearts collide we're leaving the whole world behind. The planets and the stars align holding back the hands of time."
You may well read other reviews of Hands saying things such as (and I quote actual reviews), "quite amazing", "The best album of the year", even "The future of pop music". Well, rest assured it is nothing of the sort. Is it good? Yes, pretty good. Does it deserve all this attention? Well, you can see why journalists and music critics are making such a fuss as it seems a perfect formula for chart success, and these things do sort of snowball when one critic follows another, but there are hundreds of more deserving bands out there and I would have much rather written about two other new releases this week - Sonic Youth and the latest Joan of Arc album, two bands you are unlikely to see on the BBC Breakfast TV show.
Artists in this article: Little Boots
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