The Hands of the Wrong People - Spring Flakes

The Hands of the Wrong People are two-thirds German, but their sensitive, atmospheric guitar rock owes much to Scottish indie-pop tradition. While the band cite groups such as Orange Juice and Josef K as their main influences, warm wit and funk aspirations rarely emerge on Spring Flakes; the Postcard influence instead betrays itself through tense, hesitant rhythmic shifts and occasional glints of '80s post-punk trebly sheen, but the showmanship of Orange Juice is swapped for a folkish downplayed mumble far more in line with US '90s and '00s alternative.

The result is an album which is part of a proud indie tradition of remaking moroseness into an art form, while creating a distinctive mood based around a limited palette of sounds - intricate guitar lines which bring to mind (whisper it!) John Frusciante's playing, irritable basslines and direct, affecting vocals. However, The Hands of the Wrong People's debut is similar to the snowflakes of its title: ultimately its coldness and sad beauty only work at the right time of year.