New Artist: Cut Off Your Hands

Cut Off Your Hands hail from New Zealand, and are just now releasing their debut LP, entitled You and I, in the States last week on Frenchkiss Records. The trio play infectious power-pop-punk in the vein of The Fratellis, Franz Ferdinand, or The Wombats and are set to complete their introduction to the U.S. with some tour dates here starting in February.

The group's frontman, Nick Johnston, had the following to say about the record:

"Our pop sensibility has come lately. (While writing the record) I was listening to a lot of doo-wop - in particular Phil Spector produced groups like the Ronnettes, and the Crystals - and I've been obsessed with how melodically centred those old songs are. It's what makes them still relevant and exciting to someone like me, a 23 year old, 50 years later. I also began seriously taking an interest in 1950's artists such as Roy Orbison, Ritchie Valens and Elvis. I found that I was no longer that interested in weird sounds, or noisy groups, all I wanted to hear and recreate were beautiful vocal melodies that are calculated but appear so effortless."

Check out the band's MySpace page to hear several songs from the new record.


North American Tour Dates:

2/21 - Richard's on Richards w/Ra Ra Riot & Telekinesis - Vancouver BC
2/22 - Lucky Bear w/Ra Ra Riot - Victoria BC
2/24 - Doug Fir Lounge w/Ra Ra Riot & Telekinesis - Portland OR
2/25 - Neumo's Crystal Ball Reading w/Ra Ra Riot & Telekinesis - Seattle WA
2/27 - The Independent w/Ra Ra Riot & Telekinesis - San Francisco CA
2/28 - El Rey Theatre w/Ra Ra Riot & Telekinesis - Los Angeles CA
3/1 - The Loft-UCSD w/Ra Ra Riot & Telekinesis - La Jolla CA
3/2 - Detroit Bar w/Ra Ra Riot & Telekinesis - Costa Mesa CA
3/7 - Kilby Court w/Future Cop & Theophilus - Salt Lake City UT
3/15 - Firebird w/Headlights, Pomegranates & Gentlemen Auction House - St Louis MO
3/16 - Conservatory w/El Paso Hot Button - Oklahoma City OK
3/24 - The Cinemat w/Passion Pit & Ra Ra Riot - Bloomington IN
3/25 - Musica w/Passion Pit & Ra Ra Riot - Akron OH
3/26 - Blind Pig w/Passion Pit & Ra Ra Riot - Ann Arbor MI