The Idle Hands

Hailing from the Midwest by way of Ireland, brothers Ciaran and Criostoir came to Minneapolis, a city they describe as "Dr. Zhivago with bands," to make glam/Brit-pop-influenced indie rock that takes a tongue-in-cheek look at Williamsburg hipster excess and the melancholy of the brokenhearted. With influences like Pulp and the Dandy Warhols, the Idle Hands have a sound that combines the stylish weariness of Brit-pop with the yearning of Midwestern heartland rock. The band fired their opening shot in 2006 with the release of their EP, Loaded, released on LaVolta Records.

After some success on the U.K. indie charts, the band took a cue from their influences and went into the studio with Dandys producer Tony Lash. In 2009 they released their full-length debut on Pretty Kids Collective, The Hearts We Broke On the Way to the Show, which features tracks from Loaded, as well as new material. With Ciaran's wry sense of humor and disdainful vocals backed by densely layered guitars and keyboard-laden hooks, the band drew favorable comparisons to the likes of the Psychedelic Furs and Pulp. Following up, The Idle Hands returned in spring 2011 with a new EP, Life Is Beautiful, on which the band unites the sounds of Brit-pop, New Romantic keyboards, and David Bowie-esque glam and shoots them through with David Lynch debauchery and velvet sleaze.