Safe Hands – Tie Your Soul To Mine

Second albums tend to be one of the hardest releases for any band. Do you stick to the tried and true, or do you display your evolution and growth?

For Novacastirans Safe Hands they have leaned more towards the later with subtle odes to their past. These tracks truly depict the growth of the band members as people and the difficulties of fitting a budding independent music career with the rigours of everyday life.

Although unfamiliar with Safe Hands until this record came across my desk, I was locked in after just two songs. Both the opening track ‘The Coliseum 1921′ and then ‘Traffic Island Wreath’ show the dichotomies of the band’s two distinct eras, with the former learning more towards their heavier roots whilst the latter is more post-punk/pop-punk.

Safe Hands excel when they’re moving down the new sonic path, it allows them to latch onto their strength for writing and telling stories. Look for this band to break out if they continue down this path. (JA)

★★★