Portland's
the Shaky Hands, who had an, uhh, shakeup of their own in 2008 when founding member and drummer Colin Anderson left the group, seem to have been left none the worse from the experience, with new drummer Jake Morris handling the percussive duties on
Let It Die, the band's third full-length, with no problems. References are plenty on the disc -- fellow Pacific Northwesterners
the Thermals, with whom
the Shaky Hands toured before the recording of this album,
the Hold Steady, the power pop of
Big Star, the heartland rock of
John Mellencamp, the '90s alt-rock of
the Gin Blossoms. Even the title was one already used by an unnamed Canadian indie rock digital goddess. Still, there are moments here that stick -- the opening chords of the title song, the subtle catchiness of the hook in "Already Gone" -- and one shouldn't insinuate that
the Shaky Hands are trying to copy anyone. The band would truly move into its own, however, with a stronger sense of self. ~ Marisa Brown