Coming Soon: Cut Off Your Hands

Cut Off Your Hands @ North Star Bar (5/02/09)

Cut Off Your Hands is the sound of charming, imported hipsters crashing your junior prom. The four-piece from New Zealand has not only proven to be the most danceable synth-free band currently inhabiting the planet, but that their interpretation of musical history is far from laughable. “Expectations” has frontman Nick Johnston imitating the yelps of Robert Smith, “Turn Cold” was likely jacked from the cutting-room floor of The Queen is Dead, and “Heartbreak” drips with the poetic anarchy of Idlewild. They also, however, manage to incorporate sounds more appropriate for gymnasium gyrating: “Happy as Can Be” is as accessibly playful as (and infinitely more listenable than) The Killers’ debut and “In The Name of Jesus Christ” is the delightfully saccharine ballad perfect for slow-dancing with your sweetie. The band are well on their way to becoming rightfully pretentious pop icons in the tradition of Suede (whose Bernard Butler produced their latest album), so don’t miss a chance to see them for $10 at the 300-capacity North Star Bar… We promise it’ll make you the coolest person you know a year from now. Izzy Cihak