Idol Hands are the perfect example of a band that represents the DIY attitude. The have done everything for their debut record ‘Black And White’. They have produced, promoted and gigged for the record and it seems to have really paid off. The best example of the DIY attitude is expressed in the bands bio where they describe being ignored by club owners, yelled at by soundmen and getting ignored by bartenders only to blow them all away with their live set and make everyone aware of who Idol Hands really is. Every bit of blood, sweat and tears that were shed during this process can be heard on every track on the record. John Magliocca (Vocals), Matthew Ossowski (Guitars, Vocals), Dallas Sheppard (Guitars), Jeremy Kozak (Bass) and Paul Barnes (Drums) produce a wide variety of sounds on their debut record and not one genre can really classify them. I hear every genre from classic rock to hard rock to metal to post hardcore on this record. Every track is a journey in itself as each track stands out in its own way. There is very little to no filler on this record at all and surprisingly it still clocks in at just over 50 minutes. Not to knock this record but the first thing I notice is the production. ‘Black And White’ has a very independent feel to it as the production is very simple. The production is comparable to something produced in the late 80’s or early 90’s in the southern California punk scene. It’s not like Bob Rock produced it using the latest version of Pro Tools but when the songs are so strong the production doesn’t really matter. The emotion, energy and passion will translate no matter how over or under produced the album is. I find that ‘Black And White’ is a record based around emotion and it takes you through a journey of highs and lows. Lead singer John Magliocca has a really interesting voice that is able to convey the emotion on the record really well while not sounding too pretentious at the same time. From the hard hitting opening track “Edge Of A Knife” to melodic “Redefine” to the dark “Verde De Vita” every range of emotion from happy to sad to depressed is covered. The range this record shows off is amazing. With a little more exposure Idol Hands could become a well recognized band world wide. Only time will tell us if this will come true but it won’t be too hard if Idol Hands keeps making great songs and complete records like ‘Black And White’. -The Music Appraisal