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9.0
1769
9.0 |
The Observer
She's a great songwriter, a precise lyricist and she knows how to make each track sound individual, spacey, new, with movement built into its very bones. Hands is utterly, fantastically pop, in all its joy and wit and infinite wonder. If I were Kylie, I'd retire on the spot
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8.0
9663
8.0 |
PopMatters
Hook-laden and full of up-to-date beats, Hands is one heck of an introduction to Hesketh
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8.0
1752
8.0 |
The Observer
Could even be seen to set out the modestly self-sustaining stall of a new breed of low-maintenance, high-impact, post-credit-crunch digital pop star.
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8.0
1754
8.0 |
The Times
People who like to theorise about pop as much as they listen to it will like Hands. But that shouldn’t detract from the fact that they’re not its primary audience. Barely a song goes by without some reference to hearts and their compatibility.
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8.0
1757
8.0 |
Daily Telegraph
Smart but accessible stuff, full of perfect pop that pushes the sonic envelope, the kind of dramatic, whooshing, robo space disco that makes most (male) guitar bands sound like they are stuck in another century
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8.0
1762
8.0 |
The Guardian
Little Boots sounds impressively poised, built to withstand - indeed, even deserve - the hype
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8.0
1763
8.0 |
The Independent
It's striking how quickly one's palate is sated by their pop-rock fizz: the listener who can play Hands all the way through is either dedicated, or dead
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8.0
1764
8.0 |
The Times
The 24-year-old singer radiates a glacial vulnerability which defies resistance
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8.0
1765
8.0 |
musicOMH
Hands is an album best avoided by those labouring under the misconception that pop is somehow a dirty word. Rather then shy away behind tricksy, overtly difficult melodies or instrumentation, Little Boots has created a pop record in the truest sense of the word; not only does it fizz by in no time at all, it also doesn't alienate or discriminate
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8.0
1767
8.0 |
Scotland on Sunday
Little Boots has the tunes to make this more than a nostalgia trip, throwing down challenges on the dance floor and thrashing out pop hooks by the dozen
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8.0
1768
8.0 |
Independent on Sunday
What elevates Hesketh's music above that of countless inferior synthpop princesses – home-made or factory farmed – is the irresistible momentum of her melodies
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7.0
1760
7.0 |
NME
Little Boots gives us an inspiring story of self-realisation and a brilliant album. Which is better than perfection, anyway. Perfection’s got great hair, it dances like a animatronic robot. But it’s not very human
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7.0
1755
7.0 |
Drowned In Sound
Hesketh can write a damn good pop song, and whether or not that’s what caused the initial buzz, it's something hard to deny when presented with the cold, hard proof of Hands
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7.0
1756
7.0 |
The Quietus
It's hard to tell what mark Little Boots will make. Category errors such as her often fall between the cracks; but even if her debut doesn't do the business (Heskeths' voice and persona don't quite match her songwriting and musical talent, after all) she'd no doubt make a great Cathy Dennis-style backroom figure. Either way, no-one's going to feel short-changed by Hands
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6.0
1761
6.0 |
Evening Standard
As a tribute to a bygone era and to a slew of female artists, Hands is a roaring success. On Little Boots herself, the jury is still out
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6.0
1766
6.0 |
The Scotsman
Hands is nothing if not consistent, as relentless and shallow a sugar rush as Madonna's Confessions On A Dancefloor album, but with no aftertaste to reward repeat listens. It's an opaque introduction to an artist so many people seem to be excited about
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6.0
7704
6.0 |
Uncut
Print edition only
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5.9
1759
5.9 |
Pitchfork
A mainstream pop effort with an indie-friendly narrative. It's a savvy approach, effectively bridging the gap between poptimism and alt snobbery… it can take some hours of intense listening before most of these tunes ever stick in the head, and there's little to no emotional investment
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5.0
1751
5.0 |
Clash
Falls victim to attempts to reach beyond more boundaries than necessary, and thus ironically loses the concentration of the more earnest listener. Yet aside from a clutch of truly banal tracks, it can be accepted as a playful and rather dainty debut.
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5.0
1758
5.0 |
No Ripcord
It’s too flabby to listen to as a whole, and unless the label decides to re-release Stuck On Repeat (which isn’t a bad idea actually) there’s nothing here strong enough to force a mainstream breakthrough
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4.0
1753
4.0 |
The List
Starts well with the double whammy of ‘New in Town’ and ‘Earthquake’, but runs out of ideas fast
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