Review: Little Boots releases slightly warmed, Hands album

[caption id="attachment_5289" align="alignnone" width="250" caption="Little Boots’ album, Hands, was released June 8, 2009 in the UK. Her EP, Illuminations (June 9, 2009) is available in the US. "][/caption]
Little Boots
Hands

Little Boots - Tune Into My Heart
[audio:http://www.thecouchsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/10-tune-into-my-heart.mp3]
After Little Boots took the YouTube/MySpace population by the ear lobes, listeners have been waiting with baited breath for Boots’ solo album to kick off. Hands, the artist’s debut, pushes a mildly innoccuous electropop melody, leaving listeners, well..still waiting. Its low infectivity requires a few listens before the album to be seen as anything close to catching. This leads one to believe that the hype that preceded the Little Boots release was in fact more than Hands could hold.
Perhaps where the artist erred is by having too many hands involved in the project. A number of great producers were listed as working with Boots, Greg Kurstin (Kyle Monogue, Lily Allen), RedOne (Akon, Lady Gaga), Jas Shaw (Simian Mobile Disco), Joe Goddard (Hot Chip), Kid Gloves, and the list continues. Though this approach can definitely work, it left Hands with the feeling of being over thought and over worked. On the vein of thought, Little Boots attempts to do something slightly different with pop hooks, by adding a touch of depth to her lyrics. The pop genre is known for serving as a medium for simplifying complex issues (i.e. love, attraction, break ups), but Little Boots challenges the genre to explain complexity with more complexity. This approach is hit or miss for Boots and works in songs like “Symmetry,” a duet with The Human League’s Philip Oakey and “Mathematics,” but struggles to translate in tracks like “Ghost.” This approach leads listeners to question pop’s intentions. Does it abate the complexities of every day life? Or is it an extension? Little Boots would undoubtedly say both, with Hands to back up her opinion. Regardless of these two theories, it’s still hard to pen point exactly what went wrong with Hands, because nothing is wrong, really, but the wow factor is definitely on hiatus.
What Little Boots does best on this album can be found in well worn in, “New In Town,” “Meddle,” “Tune Into My Heart,” and “No Brakes.” In these songs, she’s able to capture her own quirky charisma, bottle it, and release it in the form of danceable melodies with simple loveable hooks. When this equation has all the necessary variables, Little Boots achieves what she set out for, the prototype of the perfect pop song. Did she do that with this album in its entirety? Not at all. While there aren’t any bad songs on this album, there are no amazing tracks either. Fortunately for Little Boots, there is the almighty remix culture. New In Town (Fred Falke Remix), Remedy (Esser Remix), Meddle (Toddla T Remix) have already been given new life. To be fair, Little Boots’ album, Hands, won’t have listeners dancing in the streets, it does hint of greatness to come. All the right pieces were present, we all know Little Boots to be a talented singer and musician, but moreover, she possesses great creative ideas to add to the pop files. With time, Little Boots’ albums will only get better; after all, she’s still one of the relatively new lasses in town.
Track Most Likely to be Remixed Yesterday:
“Tune Into My Heart”
-k. scribe
Keeping the cursor blinking and the pen bleeding…