Hands Off Gretel | I Want The World

Words| Greta Kaur-Taylor

@soundwaveszine

With thanks to Divison PR

29/03/19

Melodic grunge infused band, Hands Off Gretel are back with their second album 'I Want The World' and it does not dissapoint.

After bouncing back from their Pledge Music incident, Hands Off Gretel have stayed loyal and released 'I Want The World' on their own label Puke Pop Records and it's  not playing around.

Frontwomen Lauren Tate, Bassist Becky Baldwin, guitarist Sean Bon and drummer Sam Hobbins have made an album that is the right amount of bubblegum and grit, like the gum you find at the bottom of your shoe, but unlike that this is something you want to come across.

We're going to say it because so many people do, so lets get this said and done, the band wear their influences on their sleeves, yes, sometimes they resemble Hole and other noteable bands such as Babes In Toyland, however Hands Off Gretel do make their sound theirs on the album, reineventing the sound so many people love.

Opening track 'Kiss Me Girl' clatters and crashes into the album, a giant baby adorned in a pink frock, crashing into a toy shop compared to their earlier work, this song is fun and unforgiving. It's a queer anthem, a love song that isn't about the love we get told about in all our story books as children. It's the all-loving anthem that you didn't know you needed to sing to.

'S.A.S.S' is exactly that, sass. You can just feel Lauren Tate embrassing her inner 90's hip hop diva as she twiddles her bubblegum and shows you how it's meant to be done, the video for this track couldn't show this any better then it does.

Follow up track 'Big Boy' sounds a lot like the bands older material, bringing back that faster grunge sound that we have become so used to from the band, it sits nicely at the top of the album reminding us how energetic HOG is as a collective.

'My Fault' paces the album breaking up the noise that is being thrown our way. This track is a world of swirling melodies, angst ridden vocals and pained lyrics. Tate sings with emotion as guitars gently craddle her, cushioning her fall on a cloud of sugary sweet candyfloss.

Title track 'I Want The World' comes straight back in and is relentless Lauren wants the world and she is going to do anything to get it, she is kicking and screaming and ready to take on the world, all in style with crashing drums, droning riffs and all the trimmings.

We wouldn't call 'Blame Myself' and 'Alien' standout tracks on the album, but they are there and we appreciate them, in all their glory, these are both songs that you can have a good old headbang to as well as enjoy a cup of tea.

'Milk' is another big one that stands out, it's broken down and lyrically focused, complete with all of the noises and gasping and tied off with very 90's rock guitar chords that sound great paired with Tate's unapoligetically raw vocals. "Not your mother not your milk" makes this a vegan anthem if we're honest, was it supposed to do this? Maybe? Do we love it? Yes! Have we read this all wrong? Quite, possibly.

As 'I Want The World' begins to draw to close 'Fingers' and 'My Friend Said' are both insighful and passionate making you wish that the album could be another 12 tracks long.

As the album ends with 'Rot (All The Good Things)' Lauren screams "Why do all the good things turn to rot" almost as if questioning those around her and a greater surrounding, hoping for an answer like we all sometimes do, this track ends 'I Want The World' in true Hands Off Gretel fashion; filled with energy and decending into a positivley pink, punk well of self doubt, barbie dolls and grungy bubblegum.

Hands Off Gretels 2nd album, 'I Want The World' Is availble on streaming platforms and from the bands website on the 29th March. 

Click Here for the Website

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