Customer Reviews:
 Why slate Little Boots for what she's not, when what she IS, is this good? June 7, 2009
IWFIcon
70 out of 76 found this review helpful
Perhaps it shouldn't surprise me that the Little Boots "backlash" has kicked off before her debut album has even reached the shops. In fact, let's be honest, it kicked off before her debut single had even reached the shops...and then blew up when New In Town failed to reach the top 10. The problems seems to be as thus; the BBC voted her as the Sound of 2009, she's quite a pretty girl and the height of her ambition seems to be to make catchy pop songs in a world where "pop" is still a dirty word.
Well no one seemed to pour as much vitriol into slamming 2008's "Sound" winner (the dull and derivative Adele) nor 2007's winner (Mika), nor 2006's (Corrine Bailey Rae) and if anyone can tell me that any of that trio are particularly inventive or ground breaking you will be lying through your teeth.
Of course half the journalists slamming her purely for winning that poll forget that it's partly voted for by their brethren, nor do they slate Florence And The Machine (who have two single releases under their belt that never threatened the top 40) who won that Brit award, which really is shameless publicity to the 'n'th degree. But silly me, Florence is a "serious" musician isn't she?
Well with that diatribe out of the way, what is Hands actually like? Well as far as I'm concerned it's really rather good. Obviously some tracks that have been knocking around for months (Stuck On Repeat, Meddle, Mathematics) set the bar pretty high but they are far from the only highlights. Having Phil Oakey duet on the shimmeringly wonderful Symmetry might seem like a gimmick but it not only works, but exceeds all expectations, Tune Into My Heart, with it's icy, mellow sound proves that she's far from a one trick pony whilst upcoming single Remedy is the sort of song that Kylie would kill her producers for.
And therein lies the crux. The pompous music snobs out there will spend the next few months telling us everything that Little Boots isn't (and crucifying her for it) rather than focusing on what Little Boots IS.
The solo credits for a couple of the tracks (Click, Ghosts) show that the choice of producers on the other tracks are just that, a choice and haven't necessarily been forced upon her. At least half the tracks on here are superb and the other half aren't half bad either. Jam packed with catchy and memorable choruses it will do little to convince those that think "pop" is a dirty word and those who kid themselves that "promotion" and "hype" are 21st century inventions in the music industry. Yet despite the hype, the pressure and the (perhaps) inevitable backlash, Victoria Hesketh has proved that all of those of us who kept the faith when all around seemed to be laying into her were right all along. She's definitely a talent. Hands may not be a perfect record, but is a very damn good one nevertheless.
little boots - 80s throw back March 9, 2010
J. P. Mackenzie
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
am a forty something bloke who has not bought anything since the missions last album who happened to catch little boots on bbc eye player with the all time music great gary numan and was so impressd with her i bought her album the next day.it was like hearing toyah /wilde back in 81 .what a throwback my teenage niece thought i was sad but there you go i have turned into my dad!
 Sound of 2009? October 15, 2009
L. Bartleet
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Granted, there are some great tracks on here, like New In Town, Remedy, Hearts Collide, Symmetry, Earthquake - and then some terrible ones - Click, Mathematics, Tune Into My Heart.
It's worth the buy. However, I'm not sure if she's really the sound of 2009 - I'd rather have gone with Florence and the Machine, whose album Lungs is just incredible.
Potentially the best of tomorrow's Electronica Girls October 3, 2009
Stephen E. Andrews (Somerset United Kingdom)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
As an old Glam/Punk/Rock/Electronica fan largely bored with contemporary guitar music, I find myself listening to poppy female singers a lot more these days. Goldfrapp, Roisin Murphy (whose 'Overpowered' was one of the most underrated albums of recent years), Amy Winehouse, all of these ladies turn my sonic head, and of the current crop of New Synth Girlies, Little Boots is in my view the mix most likely to succeed.
Yes, Lady Gaga is a bit more down and dirty (and a bit too dancey maybe, despite her admirable willingness to alter arrangements live), La Roux is trendier (but a tad thin and desperate-sounding live), but Little Boots shows more signs of producing front-rank material.
Forst of all, Victoria Hesketh plays her own synths a lot of the time - and if you listen closely to a track like 'Remedy', there are some suprisingly dirty noises in there. These Kylie comparisons have got to go, as LB is not a copyist ex-TV star, but a real musician. There are hints of early (pre-dancing girls) Human League here and even some of the lurching fizz of John Foxx.
She writes a decent lyric too, at times - 'Remedy' has some clever words as well as sterling pop melody - but there is far too much reliance on the cliches of 'heart' 'heart beats' and so on. Given time and work, we'll hopefully see more original lyrics from Victoria (the song about Maths has some cracking, almost Robert-Calvert-Hawkwind style lyrical flourishes), then she really will be the a girl from the Roxy Music sleeves come to life.
Despite the odd weak track, I like this album, which shows great promise. However, avoid the awful piano-led 'hidden' track at the end, which is too close to the excrable Lilly Allen or that Kate Whatsit for comfort. Little Boots, keep going hardcore with the dirty synths, don't get too dancey, and dig your head into books on Futurism, The Weimar Republic and Berlin Era Bowie/Iggy/Kraftwerk while downloading John Foxx' 'From Trash' onto your ipod, avoid rappers and videos filled with dance-routines and you'll be much more than a pop star. Go for it girl, we need more Electro-Glitter-Glam Queens and fewer dull disco divas.
Put your hands together for a top quality pop album July 1, 2009
Mr. O. Burnell (Dorset UK)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Having had time to listen to Hands over the last few weeks, it struck me that there are a lot of layers to Little Boots music that need unwrapping in order to fully enjoy the experience.
Most of the tracks come accross as instantly accessable pop with catchy chorus's and sing-a-long tunes, but as you listen more intently and turn up the volume, the odd backing vocal, deep bass, harmony, or synth sound suddenly make an impression, and you find the songs have so much more to say and hairs stand up on the back of your neck.
New in town, Meddle and Remedy are the most instant to hit you with their pop skills, but after a while the real gems of the album "Symmetry and Stuck on repeat," take hold and highlight how talented Little boots is.
Yes there are a couple of wafer light tunes, but this is a pop album, not Queens of the stone age, so learn to love them.
I personally really enjoy this album and Little Boots can come accross so complete on her debut, it makes me eager for album 2 and beyond.
There is an air of the much underrated group "Dubstar" here with haunting female vocals, catchy tunes and quality lyrics.
If you enjoy good quality pop music such as Human League, ABC, Pet Shop Boys even Madonna, then Hands would pretty much suit you down to the ground. Go on and buy it, as the reviews so far don't do it justice.
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