Hands — Strangelet (2008)
Now and then we take a look back at one of the reviews from our ever-growing archive to see if the album has stood the test of time. We did a series of this in 2015, when DPRP had its 20th anniversary, and this series was first published on a dedicated blog, thearchivesofprog.blogspot.com. We did a series like this in 2018, when we had done 20 years of album reviews, under the title 20 Years Of Reviews.
Raffaella Berry
I had never heard of Hands until a couple of years ago, when my good friend Dave (who is also an excellent musician in his own right) sent me a copy of their 2008 album, Strangelet. Incidentally, they had performed at the 2006 edition of ProgDay just a few weeks before my first trip to the US, when I finally met my husband-to-be in person.
Based in Texas, where they were formed back in 1977, Hands have never enjoyed as high a profile as other veteran US prog outfits. In the light of the excellence revealed by Strangelet and its follow-up, the recently-released Caviar Bobsled, that is a real shame.
This album comes with four bonus tracks (in addition to the original seven), which include the stunning instrumental Zenith Of Mars, a showcase for Mark Cook (also known for his tenure in Herd Of Instinct and Spoke Of Shadows), whose Warr guitar creates utterly entrancing atmospheres.
All in all, Hands' uniquely eclectic take on progressive rock is likely to appeal to most prog fans, regardless of their affiliation.
Read Gerard Wandio's original review from the DPRP archives in 2008.
Read it here.
Listen to the track Tambourin.
Listen now.