New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Green Light Go Entertainment) The Handcuffs want to take you for a ride. The first single and lead-off track off Waiting for the Robot, "Dirty Glitter" does just that. It's garage meets glam powered by a driving drum beat and saucy vocals delivered with such swagger you can almost hear
Chloe F. Orwell wink seductively. Though the lyrics are a rhythmic stream of consciousness, it's not hard to get the impression that we're talking about not-so-good-clean fun here. The line, "take me on a Jenny ride" is a surprise lyrical tip of the hat to
Little Richard. "We like modern music," says drummer and songwriter Brad Elvis, "but we'll never forget those who drove the rock & roll locomotive before us." Hop on and get covered in "Dirty Glitter": https://glgpub.com/file_download/199/The-Handcuffs-Dirty-Glitter.mp3
Though they describe their partnership as "Two musical rebels handcuffed together through thick and thin," The Handcuffs sound nothing like captives. Their upcoming third album, Waiting for the Robot, out
September 6, shows what chemistry, synchronicity and a shared passion for perfection can do. With Waiting for the Robot,
Chloe F. Orwell and Brad Elvis, the core of the
Chicago alternative, rock/pop, glam outfit, launch thirteen blazing, sexy, and hooky songs ready to explode out of speakers and get lodged into the brains of appreciative listeners. "I think that the good chemistry translates into a passion for our craft, a good work ethic and a positive energy, "says front-woman Orwell, "Plus, surrounding ourselves with very skilled and creative people who have added their talents to the production - and then I think all that translates into something that feels really good to the listener." The Handcuffs sound has been variously described, from "T-Rex and the
Ting Tings straddling Goldfrapp" to "Queens of the Stone Age and
Blondie on a road trip with Franz Ferdinand," but either way, you get fresh yet timeless, edgy yet accessible, skillfully crafted yet easily memorable songs that you can't help but dance to.
Waiting for the Robot, engineered and co-produced by Mike Hagler (Wilco, The Mekons, OK Go, The New Pornographers), mostly features songs written by drummer Brad Elvis, who, like
Wilco drummer,
Glenn Kotche writes his music using the drums. "He doesn't really formally play any other instruments besides drums, per se, but he has a knack for knowing exactly how something is going to sound on any given instrument, "says Orwell. Ever striving toward perfection, Elvis says of Robot, "I think our new album contains the best collection of songs I have ever written. That's always the goal for me and I hope I feel that way on the next album." Elvis also stretches his vocal wings a bit on the album, singing the only duet in The Handcuffs' repertoire, "Baby I Love You," a clever love song that rocks with driving guitars, the duo's edgy vocals, well-placed piano and, of course, Elvis' propulsive drums. To complete their line-up, the duo has welcomed three powerhouse musicians to help them deliver the rock including Emily Togni, a Tennessee-by-way-of-Arkansas native, Chicagoan Ellis Clark on guitar and former New Jersey girl Alison Hinderliter on keyboards.
Other stand-out tracks on Waiting for the Robot include powerfully rhythmic lead track "Dirty Glitter," "Miss You On Tuesday" a darker tune that showcases the sultry muscle of Orwell's voice and "Vinyl Isabella," a sexy glam number that captures the strut of a drag queen who knows how to flaunt it.
Prolific writers and producers, The Handcuffs have officially released two albums, recorded with Mike Hagler at Kingsize Sound Laboratories in Chicago. Songs from the debut CD Model for a Revolution and their follow-up Electroluv have been placed in numerous feature films and television shows on the CW, MTV, VH1, A&E, E!, Showtime, PBS, FUSE, Fuel, ABC and NBC. The Handcuffs are also featured on the soundtrack of the Sundance and SXSW award winning documentary The Education of Shelby Knox by New York production house and champions of free thinking Incite Pictures.
