BAEBLE SESSIONS: The Shaky Hands at The Guest Apartment

We'll forgive them. It was early. 10am early, which may not sound too extreme...save the fact that The Shaky Hands spent the previous few days navigating all three rings of the CMJ circus. It can wear a band down, and these Portland pack rats casually wore the week's fatigue on their sleeves. So the percolator was pressed in to action, some mighty strong joe was brewed, and spirits were slowly coaxed back to acceptable, mid morning levels.

In this edition of the Guest Apartment, we invite you to listen close...one can almost hear the caffeine slowly start to boil the band's blood over the course of this three song performance of cuts from the band's recently released album Let it Die. Leading with "Don't Fail Me Now", the band hit a light and lackadaisical note, sorting through clumpy toy piano, scratched-out acoustic upbeats, and the earthy rhythms of some well worn, hand percussion. "Already Gone" picks up the pace just a bit...we assure you singer Nicholas Delffs is absorbed by the music, not falling asleep to it. By "Caught in the Storm", it seems the good brew has done it's job. Note guitarist Jeff Lehman's dazzling solo...through a 6 inch, pocket amplifier. Call it a caffeinated kick of the Shaky Hands that inundates the Guest Apartment. - David Pitz