So I got a copy of Hands, Little Boots’ new LP, and after listening to the whole album, I was like “ehh.” Now, you would think that the album would be amazing because everyone has been hyping LB up. Don’t get me wrong she is very talented (her first US show @ Studio B in Brooklyn was awesome) and deserves the credit, but all I have heard is Little Boots, Little Boots, and Little Boots—so there are 2 parts to this review.
First the Good…
Little Boots is quintessential pop; no if ands or buts. And all of the songs are very catchy and easily can be singles. A few of the tracks on Hands have been floating around the net for a while, so there were really only a handful of tracks that I had never heard. Click was a highlight for me and one I enjoyed a lot. I love that deep arppegiated (sic) bass found lying underneath the track and the arrangement, simple and clean—very dubbish.
New In Town, the 1st Single definitely deserved to be the first single, it’s funky, catchy and the hook/chorus is amazing’. I found myself weirdly singing it everywhere I went. The other track that I liked was Ghost. With Its marching band like beat it’s a nice change, sound-wise, from the rest of the album.
Then the Bad…
LB was signed to the reborn Elektra Records, and the label proceeded fast to take her global. They were able to release Hands pretty fast, but with a little help from a few other musicians—and that was sort of threw me off about the album. Now I’m not saying that you shouldn’t collaborate with others, but personally to me, your first impression should be your own, but capitalism still rules the world and u can put out something that doesn’t make money.
Little boots had some help with the record including some heavy weights such as Joe Goddard from Hot Chip, Greg Kurstin, One half of The Bird & The Bee, and a few more. Each one of these producers lends their sound to their specific track, and sometimes its good and sometimes its not.
The perfect example to my last sentence can be found on the track Remedy. Produced by RedOne, one of the main producers working with Akon and Lady Gaga, the track is not LB. It’s not even close to that genuine sound of LB – It was Lady Gaga. Everything down to the vocal arrangements and sounds used were Lady Gaga. The only hint of LB on it was her voice – such a shame (but maybe not as it is suppose to be the 2nd Single, go figure…) In my book that song failed.
The other song that I had a problem with, but I liked none-the-less was the Symmetry track featuring Philip Oakley of Human League fame. Once again, not a Little Boots sound. Not to mention that Philip Oakley’s vocals were much more prominent than hers.
All and All I like the Album, and I’m sure many others will as well…
enjoY!
so true about remedy, good spot.
yeah, well this is how i see it, Remedy will be the track that will bring Little Boots into the US Networks, then in 2010 they release her album in the states. BAM!