James L Treacy

CD Review : Hand Stands For Ants – This is How to Do Hand Stands For Ants.June 2, 2010 | by Karen Murphy | Bands, CD Reviews
Review by KAREN MURPHY
VN:F [1.8.3_1051]
please wait..
Rating: 4.5/5 (4 votes cast)
With some groovy, English-style numbers, HAND STANDS FOR ANTS’s new EP, ‘This is How to Do Hand Stands for Ants’, is packed full of energy and excitement. Mixing Bruno Booth’s English accent with James Treacy’s Aussie one, this album has all the markers of an English-pop/rock band, with a tinge of Aussie—something we don’t see very often (or hear for that matter).

The first song ‘Kind of Like A Witch and Dancing’ is a short and punchy number. It gets to the point, and it gets there fast. With a neatly tied off ending, the song comes together with one final cadence; a moment like a last shot of tequila—just when you think everything around you couldn’t get more colourful, things begin to glow.

‘Ghetto Booty’ however doesn’t quite live up to the reputation made for it on stage. The boys seemed to have a lot of trouble translating the energy of their performances into the recorded version of the song. Instead the tune comes off a lot duller than fans are used to. Treacy’s voice gets lost in Booth’s heavy guitar riffs, which over-power the song. However, the tune is still catchy and Jacob Bayne’s thumping bass is strong enough to get you on your feet and dancing.

The best song on the EP has to be ‘River Phoenix’. It has a fantastic finale where all the elements of the song come together in the same single melody. At first, it seems like each member of the group is attempting to over-power the other, but together they rise to one grand crescendo of pure rock-bliss. This song is better than being drunk. For some it may well be one of the best alternative rock tracks they’ve ever heard.

On top of this, the band still finds a way to show off its more humorous, cheeky side with the song ‘Silence’, (the second last song on the record). Primarily a gimmick, this track is basically silence for the first half. But, once you’ve worked out that your CD player isn’t faulty, the cheesiness of this joke puts a smile on your face.

Finishing with the calm acoustic number, ‘Wednesday Morning’, the band ends up making you feel like you’ve just taken your shoes off after a long and hectic night on the town. This song is the perfect finale to a great CD that is full of fun and excitement.

If this record is anything to go by, Hand Stands For Ants aren’t going to be a secret for very long.
- Spac Ship News.com

Playing next were Hand Stands For Ants, who jumped on stage and all but set it on fire with their burning guitar riffs and rock-heavy drum beats. The band’s transitions were seamless, changing keys from one song to the next without as much as flinching. Dete Popperty—known as James Treacy off stage—played drums, his hands moving so fast across the kit you could barely see them. It was almost as if the music was flowing through the drums and out of him as opposed to the other way around.

Playing a hectic show with songs such as ‘River Phoenix’ and ‘Ghetto Booty’, the band bobbed its collective head as if live wires were connecting each of its members. Belting out songs with a British accent, Back to the Future Part Two—aka Bruno Booth— shared the lead with Treacy, singing songs from the bands new EP, ‘This is How to Do Hand Stands For Ants’, and stood comfortably on stage without his wheel chair.
- Space Ship News.com

This Is How To Do Hand Stands For Ants is the debut EP for the Perth boys Hand Stands for Ants. Though you wouldn’t be crazy for thinking they were the next big thing from England. With a sound somewhat like Jamie T or The Arctic Monkeys HS4A manage to write some catchy little numbers with groovy guitar and bass, sing-a-long choruses and some funky beats.

The use of two singers really works for these sings and Bruno’s English accent mixed with James’ Aussie accent gives them a unique and wonderful vocal quality.

The first song, Kind of like a Witch and Dancing is a great way to kick off the EP. It’s short and punchy and shows you what to expect from the rest of the disc. Ghetto Booty will get anyone out of their seats and shaking their booties. This has always been a favourite live track for the boys and they have managed to get their live energy to translate well into the recording.

Next up is yet another dancey little number called River Phoenix which is about being “more fucked up than River Phoenix”. This is the stand out track on the cd and has the greatest ending.

Tuesday Night is a party song about Tuesday nights and is more of a dynamic track which has a brilliant guitar solo. Tuesday Nights is a great weekend anthem, if your weekend starts on Tuesday.

The final song on the EP is an acoustic secret track with the best line; “it’s like seeing a hippy with an iPod on”. This track will have you singing along by the end of the song. You could imagine sitting around a camp fire with these guys singing along with this song.

The only weakness in the EP is in the recording and mixing. The guitars seem too muddy and don’t really blend well with the bass. However this doesn’t really take away from the listening pleasure of the CD, which is still is a great party album full of songs that will have you dancing and singing until their next release.

Let’s all clap our hands for Hand Stands for Ants.
- Faster Louder.com.au