Since their inception in early 2006, Cut Off Your Hands have been riding high on a wave of critical acclaim and industry attention. Playing an infectious, art-influenced brand of proto-punk indie rock, the New Zealand quartet veritably bounce off each other with poptastic melodies, jagged guitars and jerky stop start rhythmic patterns.
With street and glossy press going bananas for the group, their lead track ‘You and I’ and recent runner ‘Expectations’ have been slammed on radio both nationally and internationally with the support of RRR and PBS in Melbourne, FBI in Sydney and of course the ABC’s Triple J. The force of this track has been felt as faraway as the Big Apple, with a playlisting on New York’s Viva Radio and in London with Steve Lamacq spinning both You And I and Expectations regularly over the past few weeks.
Settled for the time being in London, the band have barely had time to reflect upon their recent touring escapades with the brilliant Laneway Festival throughout Australia, their SxSW foray and shotgun trip to NYC. With appearances on BBC 1 and BBC 6 with Steve Lamacq and a plethora of energetic, barnstorming shows, laden with industry heavyweights and a smattering of discerning music gentry, the young Cut Off Your Hands seem nigh on unstoppable.
NME and Drowned In Sound have been championing their cause for ages and that belief only seems to be getting stronger. The lads recently finished up in the studio recording a brand new EP with none other than Bernard Butler of Suede fame, who has played on and produced albums/singles with The Libertines, The Verve and Manic Street Preachers. Goddamit, that’s some good company. With the EP in stores July 9th, and the first single Still Fond, the #1 most played song on JJJ last week, it’s all looking might fine… Onwards and upwards!
”Like the Stooges playing Strokes songs and hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, this garage-rock foursome brought hype and hyper-enthusiastic indie rock to the party” -NME ‘What everyone else was talking about’ SxSW review. (UK)
“To call their show spastic would be an understatement. The whole band shakes like a Jell-o mold.” -Pitchfork. (USA)
“Fresh of face, these young teeth-cutters from New Zealand hit with the pop energy of Hot Hot Heat, the angular bouncing madness of Les Savy Fav, and slow down occasionally to the pace of The Hives. A tightly wound troupe of indie idealists who believe punk’s not dead – again” -Drowned in Sound. (UK)
“From now on songs will be no longer than 2.20, guitars will skittle, rhythm will stab and everything will dance, fast.” -VICE Magazine. (Australia)
"Cut Off Your Hands have been invigorating the live scene for a while now with skin-tight musical precision, a killer live show and a devout following." -Pavement Magazine. (New Zealand)
