HANDS

In a short period of time, less than 4 years, this group was able to record great demos that together has a considerable cohesion as an album. The first three tracks delivers the peak of their creativity, and are entirely instrumental. Reminds Gentle Giant's way of composing, with complex harmonies and several changes on execution. On sixth track, some powerful guitar and bass work, with the serenity of the flute, can join on this high level prog. The remaining tracks can be compared to Genesis Trick of the Tail, or Wind and Wuthering. Half of the tracks have vocals, which are eficcient, but a bit forgettable, because it's not impressive at all. Chord instruments are very present on almost all of the album. On the smoother passages it brings an enjoyable folk touch. And in track 9 the chords are essential to present a medieval spirit. Sometimes, however, these instruments get excessive and I'd prefer them more moderate.

3.5 stars on a five-star scale.

This cd far surpassed my expectations, both in musical inventiveness and sound quality. Recorded in the late 70's but not compiled until 1996, this eponymous album from the Texas prog group Hands satisfies in many ways. While the band's six core members are highly-trained multi-instrumentalists, they blend the diverse mix of woodwinds and strings into the classic band setting in a seamless manner, and it all comes together nicely and energetically. For 71 minutes, one gets a good dose of progressive rock played well, with hints of groups like Finch, Jethro Tull, Kansas, Happy the Man, and Gentle Giant, as well as a bit of fusion and even some medieval madrigal music sprinkled in. It's mostly instrumental, but the vocals that do appear are well done. Some of the standout tracks for me are Zombieroch, Triangle of New Flight, and the 10-minute mini-epic Antarctica, but there's no track that I did not enjoy. The cd also comes with a great booklet packed with band photos and history. This is honestly one of my very favorite prog cd's from U.S. soil that was recorded back in the heyday of the 1970's. Very impressive - highly recommended. 4-1/2 stars

US band HANDS was originally active back in the '70s, but time and circumstances didn't see them acquire a great deal of success back then. They reformed in 2001 however, and have been a going entity ever since. "Caviar Bobsled" is their most recent studio album, released in 2015 via the US label ShroomAngel Records.

Those with an interest in progressive rock that feels intrigued by a US band that manages to incorporate Americana, folk music and acoustic rock into an adventurous mix and context that also incorporates elements from jazz, chamber music and vintage symphonic progressive rock should find this CD by Hands to be well worth getting familiar with. The music is deceivingly and subtly complex though, so it really needs a few spins before it will settle with you.

Needless to say that ''Hands'' was characterized by the bulk of the Prog press as ''a lost diamond of 70's US Prog'' and the warm reviews led Michael Clay and Ernie Meyers to reform Hands sometime in 1997.Back to the original story, despite being dropped by producer Ken Scott for reasons beyond his action, Hands kept producing highly sophisticated, original material in late-70's.With the arrival of Disco things started to become even more difficult for inventive rock groups like Hands, leading to the departure of Michael Clay and Paul Bunker in 1979.The remaining members hired violin player Mark Menikos and new keyboardist Shannon Day and kept it going for about a year.Collectable recordings from the 1977-80 period were meant to be Hands' second album on Shroom Productions, released in 1998 as ''Palm mystery''.

The 17 tracks of the album were recorded both live and in studio at five different places around the Texas area.Musically the material doesn't differ much from what the listener met in ''Hands''.In fact ''Palm mystery'' strengthens the image of old US Prog bands as being way more complicated than the majority of the British ones regarding the Symphonic Rock genre.Hands comes as a mix of KANSAS, DIXIE DREGS, HAPPY THE MAN, YES and GENTLE GIANT, offering dense and highly professional Symphonic Rock with jazzy and Folk underlines, very interesting and complicated keyboard parts and heavy use of flutes, violins as well as sax and clarinet in specific occasions.''Palm mystery'' lacks the pair of monumental pieces of ''Hands'', but the music is again very progressive, challenging and intricate.The Classical influences prevail in most of the presented pieces with strong violin solos and clean vocals in the best KANSAS tradition, while the keyboard work is fascinating, much in the vein of RICK WAKEMAN during his days with YES, providing a powerful, symphonic background, supported by some beautiful acoustic piano.Flute parts are divided both in symphonic nature or delivering more rural soundscapes, especially when the acoustic guitars come in evidence.GENTLE GIANT and HAPPY THE MAN come in mind during the band's ability to combine Classical and Jazz inspirations in the same track, offering naughty instrumental plays and quirky twists.Once more the atmosphere ranges from melodramatic performances to a melancholic lyricism.

Not as superb as ''Hands'', but if these recordings could have been released in time, this would have been a shock (and certainly a failure regarding its sales).A band that denied to meet any new fashion and played adventurous Symphonic Rock till the dawn of the 80's.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.

One of the most overlooked US Prog bands, Hands from Dallas were formed in early-70's as Ibis, changing also several other names, with drummer John Rousseau, guitarists Steve Parker, Ernie Myers and Michael Barreyre, bassist David Carlisle and sax player Sonny Solell.Line-up changes were more than often for Ibis, who in 1975 were again renamed, this time to Prism, with Myers, Parker and Rousseau joined by keyboardist Michael Clay, violin player Paul Bunker and flutist Skip Durbin.These early days of the group were taped in a Shroom Productions CDR entitled ''Hands-The Early Years 1974 - 76'', released in 2000.

This document is not actually very representative of Hands' unique talent, containing only three original compositions and seven cover tracks.The common thing throughout the whole release is the problematic recording quality, which does not help very much.The first two tracks belong to Prism and were recorded in 1976, both of them made it to Hands' self-titled debut, and they are good examples of 70's Progressive Rock with nice instrumental work and demanding passages akin to GENESIS, GENTLE GIANT and JETHRO TULL, but the below average sound buries them significantly.The third track performed by Ibis is actually the only unreleased piece of the album.''Spacial Circumstances'' is an obscure arrangement of instrumental folky Psych/Prog with abstract organ themes and weird flute parts of limited interest.The next seven pieces are cover songs/compositions of famous Prog and Rock artists.The first four belong to Mahavishnu Orchestra, King Crimson, PFM and Michael Urbaniak and show a talented band capable of performing any kind of Prog-related music, from the symphonic delicacy of PFM and the strange King Crimson textures to the more Fusion side of Mahavishnu Orchestra and Urbaniak.Most of them have also an acceptable sound quality.The last three are compositions by Allman Brothers, Johhny Winter and Frank Zappa, transformed by Prism/Ibis into adventurous jazzy Prog Folk experiences with the good use of keys, saxes and violins.

I would recommend this album only to fans of the band or die-hard 70's Prog collectors.The lack of original or unreleased material and, more importantly, the harmful sound of these recordings prevent this work from succesfully qualifying into Hands' discography, despite talking about a highly talented act.

I was wondering why this clocked in at 60 minutes when it was released in 1977. Well apparently these are well recorded demos the band had put together and they were compiled for this release. Unfortunately these Texans (like a lot of American Prog bands in the seventies) had a hard time being accepted and taken seriously by both the music indusrty and music fans. The music sounds to me like a cross between GENTLE GIANT, KANSAS and KING CRIMSON's first album. I really have mixed feeling for this recording and therefore 3 stars for me is the right rating.

"Zombieroch" has an uptempo symphonic intro with some chunky bass. It turns orchestral with strings then kicks back in. Nasty guitar after 2 minutes. An impressive instrumental display. "Prelude # 2" is a short piano and flute piece. "Triangle Of New Flight" is led by flute, gentle guitar and violin early. A change 1 1/2 minutes in as the guitar and a more powerful sound take over. Violin too. Synths with flute before 3 1/2 minutes then it picks up again. "Mutineers Panorama" has flute and a relaxed sound leading eventually and this soundscape will come and go. Mellotron too and this is the best song so far. "World's Apart" has vocals and is laid back. It picks up with keyboards when the vocals stop. They do come back again. "Dreamsearch" is acoustic guitar and flute led then the vocals come in after a minute. It's orchestral as well. It turns powerful after 3 minutes and the tempo picks up before 4 1/2 minutes. Some crazy synths too. It's orchestral after 8 minutes then the vocals end it.

"Left Behind" has strummed guitar and vocals as the piano joins in. It kicks in with prominant guitar 2 minutes in. Drums and flute too. It settles 3 1/2 minutes in with some nice bass and it's dark. "Mindgrind" hits the ground running. Vocals 1 1/2 minutes in as it settles some. Chunky bass after 2 minutes and some ripping violin before 4 minutes. "Greansoap" features violin and a classical vibe. A Celtic flavour here too. "I Want One Of Those" is acoustic guitar and a laid back sound. Synths help out after 2 minutes. "Antarctica" has an epic intro then all we hear is the wind blowing before it kicks back in. Vocals follow. "The Tiburon Treasure" is a short beautiful song to end it with.

A mixed bag for me but well worth checking out as most seem to love it.

With an irregular and sparse discography, Hands have nonetheless remained a solid example of top- notch prog rock from the USA. Hands is an undisputed part of the unsung American prog trilogy of the 70s, together with However and Happy the Man. Their "Twenty-Five Winters" effort, the first for the new millennium, shows the modified line-up (including two founding members from the distant 70s) willingly headlong for the task of creating refreshing music within the genre. It is so thoroughly refurbished that you can't tell that this is the Hands we all had known before: this is prog rock in essence and form, no doubt about it, but now we're witnessing a new road for the new Hands. The album opens up with 'Knock/Enter', a dynamic exercise on country-rock refurbished in a progressive scheme and with a heavily melody-centered focus: the dominant presence of the acoustic guitar guarantees the development of candor, while the impressive violin flourishes set the core for the whole ensemble's energy. Next comes 'Walls', a track that offers a more powerful approach although it preserves much of the melodic vibe that had been present in track 1. 'Walls' sounds to my ears like a hardened Caravan mixed with a bit of classic Kansas. I wouldn't have minded if the first two tracks had been a little more expanded so they could include some guitar or synth solo; both pieces comprise enough effectiveness in their hooks as to allow a more detailed exploration in their motifs. Anyway, they are great tracks. 'Green Room' is a weird, yet soft demonstration of instrumental experimental rock: it features an intro of multilayered guitars on harmonies and lead phrases (that would be Part 1), and then it shifts to a piano-led slow passage on a crepuscular tone, very beautiful indeed (that would be Part 2). 'Dance of Light and Darkness' states a peculiar mixture of Gentle Giant and Beatles-oriented pop-rock, plus a taste of the weirdest side of Tood Rundgren's Utopia: this is what GG should have done after "Interview" if they really wanted to remain interesting while playing the mainstream rock game. 'I Laughed Aloud' is a lovely due of piano and violin that states an inspired exhibition of elegance and constraint: romantic with a slight touch of Gershwin for good measure. The amazing polyphonic 'Zombieroch (Part 3)' bears a very clear title: just like the other Zombieroch pieces, it shows Hands' skill at creating amazing mixtures of Gentle Giant, Happy the Man and Jethro Tull. The lack of a recurrent wind player in Hands at the time makes it necessary to substitute the flute and clarinet sounds for digital equivalents (most likely synthesizers, although it might as well be a Lyricon.). Its 4 ¾ span goes by without the listener noticing: this piece is really engaging in its controlled, complex development. The closing track is the most ambitious composition - the 4 part suite 'Leaving'. The first section starts with a warm piano and French horn duet (with the horn played by guest Chris Dulen), that soon evolves into a fuller arrangement. The following section continues in the same reflective vein, this time featuring an acoustic guitar duo that elaborate soaring arpeggios carefully wrapped under synth layers. The third section finds the band exploring their most aggressive side, stating an original confluence of Gentle Giant and Wetton-Bruford era King Crimson: this section is patently based on the interaction between the multiple guitars and the abundant percussions, built on cadence rather than melody. I only wish the resulting climax had been longer, since the energy seems kind of aborted once we go to the next and last section. The 'Above and Below' section reminds me of classic Yes at their most lyrical, with the synth backup and violin providing an almost real orchestra for the motif's soft development. This is not a totally integrated piece, but it contains excellent progressive ideas. I wish the album had been longer (as well as some individual pieces), but "Twenty Five Winters" is more than just OK, it is really great, a proof of the permanence of prog creativity in veteran prog minds. and hands.

Being a real prog survivor from the 70s and with a wide array of influences and notions in its musical style, it is just a pity that Hands' discography hasn't been so consistent. It is also a miracle that in the idological-commerical circumstances that have shaped the music industry for the last 28 years this band still manages to make music in the new millennium. Not a miracle at all, but an absolute pleasure it is the fact that Hands' 2008 effort Strangelet happens to be one of the most solid and creative albums to be released in the current experimental rock scene. This album features a strong presence of guitars in many places: besides the habitual guitarist, the keyboardist and the bassist als oadd guitar inputs, plus veteran Stick/Warr Guitar player Mark Cook enters the band to make his own contribution. This is also teh first Hands album without a violinist and without a wind player, so I didn't kwno what to expect before getting it, but now I am totally convinced that the band remains as colorful as always, taking advantage of the present instrumental strategy. The opener is a very brief interlude that leads to the monster track 'Dark Matter', which lasts 15 minutes. The first sonorities offer a hybrid of Gordian Knot and Djam Karet, exploring an alternation of exotic Eastern-like textures and dense space rock- influenced passages. The heavy-friendly twists bring occasional ornaments in order to emphasize a sense of extravagance. The bucolic section that gets started at minute 7 bring a stylish serenity that gradually builds the elaboration of another bombastic section. The relatively Yessian epilogue tha tfills the track's last 2 minutes state a contemplative stance, with a cleverly ordained pompous closure. This track is pure progressiveness incarnated in a frame of modern sonic structures - 'Dark Matter' is a world in itself within the world that is Strangelet. 'Tambourin' features the piano on a prominent role: this piece goes to a different mood, combining the jazzy side of Keith Emerson and Happy the Man's lyrical reflectiveness. The instrumental approach takes fair advantage of the 5 ¾ minute span. 'Running Room', with a cadence that bears an unhidden inspiration from The Beatles' psychedelic era, may bring some memories from the early stages of The Flower Kings and Spock's Beard, more specifcially, during its first 4 minutes. Then comes a series of Gentle Giant-like tricks that brings an augmented intensity to the instrumental development, adding a variety so fluidly that it doesn't kill the natural flow. 'Entry of the Shiny Beasts' is based on a playful melodic approach to jazz-rock, stating a midway between late 70s Chick Corea and Happy the Man. 'Miracle in the Mind' offers a semi-acoustic portion that reminds us of a hybrid of King Crimson and Gentle Giant: there is an inevitable weirdness that fills the overall relaxing scheme. Things get more intense with the emergence of a tribal section, in which the plural drumming frenzy is augmented by soundscapes and street noises. The last 2 ½ minutes retake the opening motif with an extra touch of neurosis. But nowhere does this album get as neurotic as in the closing track, 'Rotten', which was recorded libve at Cristal Clear Sound Studios. This is a solid study of Crimsonian tension with a neccntuation of the hard rocking aspect. This album is a must for any lover of prog rock with a tight eclectic approach and abundant traces of creativity: in a few words, good prog rock music. Thsi album is dedicated to the memory of drummer Ian wallace (a friend of the band's), and honestly, I cannot imagine a better tribute than this magnum opus. Write down this item's name - Strangelet... and take into your collection!!

The Texas prog scene has always been reliable and Dallas veterans Hands keep that tradition on track with this 2008 release. In fact, if it's possible for TexProg to have a sound, it would probably be encapsulated by these guys. Guitarist/singer Ernie Myers and keyboardist Michael Clay have been plying their brand of art rock with an edge since the 70s and though generally pegged as 'symphonic', there is a lot more going on. The production is roomy, warm and understated, and the band reflects subtle prog influences while maintaining a fairly original identity. Especially pleasing are the contrasts between Clay's classical piano breaks, Myers' guitar, percussionists Martin McCall & John Fiveash, and Mark Cook (Warr guitar) and Steve Powell (bass) holding the bottom together. Occasional reminders of everyone from the Crims to Rush as well as newer acts like the Flower Kings and even fellow Texans Thirteen of Everything but again, nothing blatant.

An electrical quaver and a distant vibration of alloy puts us on hold until a bit of riffage starts 'Dark Matter', growing into a 15-minute monster of multiple changes, acoustic interludes, hard rock and Myers' slightly nasal sneer. A beautiful jazz line from Clay's piano and some fiery organ/drum exchanges for instrumental 'Tambourin', great prog here with reflective passages of jazzicality and tight playing. Sentimental and odd 'Running Room' vaguely recalls later Beatles with a symphonic facelift and shows this ensemble's wide range. Bouncing 'Entry of the Shiny Beasts' slows enough to allow in a bit more jazz and some fun with the keyboard, the spirit of Roger Waters is invoked for 'Miracle in the Mind' complete with acid freakout, and very Crimsonian 'Rotten' to finish, a pounder with a delicately laced little midsection. Very cool stuff, especially for those interested in contemporary U.S. prog.

This CD compiles a lot of material recorded by Hands in the late 70s. And what is Hands? It is one of the best kept secrets of USA's prog, and let me tell you that it is so unfair that they had to be so secret back in those days (other exceptional injustices that immediately come to my mind are the legendary Happy the Man and the still more obscure However, but now let's focus on this particular band). All tracks comprised in this CD are demos, but many of them really display a good sound quality, and that is particularly relevant for thsi band since the musicians involved were not shy about the use of a varied array of saxes, woodwind and keyboards in each and every track, together with the guitar, bass and drum kit, plus the violin/viola, which elaborates dialogues with the guitar, wind and keyboard alternatingly when not playing a good solo spot. Yes, Hands was as meticulous with the musical arrangements of their material as they were abundant as a line-up (6 or 7 members, depending on the era). Actually, Hands got a recording contract by the time they started recording these demos, but the final process never got to its fruition, and until the band's reunion in the late 90s, this "Hands" CD was the only item available for prog collectors everywhere. This band sure got influenced by their contemporary compatriots of HTM; other influences easy to notice are Gentle Giant, the melodic side of the Canterbury trend (Hatfield & the North, Caravan), the jazzy side of Zappa, PFM, "Songs from the Wood"-era Jethro Tull, Yes. You can even tell there are some Kansas hints for their rockier moments, especially the album's last two tracks. However, these guys were no dilettantes but serious performers/writers who managed to create their own prog voice through their unhidden influences. The instrumental arsenal they used and the controlled way in which the musician integrated their integral performances made their music sound very orchestral, which allowed them to enhance the symphonic side of their musical offer. 'Zombieroch' kicks off thsi album with an undeniable hook, yet bearign enough complexity as to fill the prog mold: mentally picture a mixture of "Free Hand"-era and first album-HTM and you can have a good notion of what this excellent instrumental is about. The same irresistible magic will be repeated in track 3 'Triangle of New Flight'. As a constrast, tracks 2, 4 and 5 step convincingly into the realms of serenity nd introspection, with 'Prelude No. 2' displaying a clear homage to Baroque and the other two tracks built on the melancholic side of jazzy prog (I find 'Mutineer's Panorama' breathtakingly beautiful, powerful despite its patent eerie softness). Later on, 'The Tiburon Treasure' brings another example of genius solemnity with its acoustic guitar-based bucolic aura. 'Mindgrind' is yet another HTM-related adventure albeit with an extra dose of energetic rock. The short tracks 'Greansoap' and 'I Want One of These' bring Celtic and madrigal moods, respectively, in a very polished fashion - pure finesse at writing and performing, this is what Hands is all about at the end of the day. The epic pieces are solid occasions for the band to show how skilled the individuals are and how well-oiled is the team they form: the sense of structure of symphonic prog and the dynamics of jazz-oriented art rock create a solid basis for the togetherness of the various motifs comprised in each epic. 'Dreamsearhc', 'Left Behind' and 'Anctartica' era really awesome, with the latter including some spacey nuances that providing a surprising variation for Hands' usual modus operandi. Since this album is a collection, the repertoire does not get to complety fulfill a sense of consistency, but it is definitely a masterful catalogue of excellent prog music. Hands is a band that should be included in any decent prog collection - the place to start is this particular album.