You could be forgiven for thinking that Hands Like Houses never take a moment to catch their breath. The Canberra alt-rockers are back again with the brooding banger “Flowers”, which dropped 19 February via Civilians with an accompanying video. It comes just a year after their 16-track album ATMOSPHERICS – the deluxe version of which offered an extra four tracks last August – as well as recent single “Love & Affection” and a reimagining of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game”.
“Flowers” explores the burden of persistence and yearning for recognition in an unforgiving industry, something that Hands Like Houses aim to dissolve with their upcoming Lótus Tour in April. The song coincides with an initiative that the band launched in search of emerging local artists to help showcase the untapped talent in their own backyard. Supports to each show will be chosen from the bands who are tagged in the comments of a socials post requesting that they get involved.
Chunky riffs and bouncy drums lay the solid foundation for frontman Josh Raven as he deftly switches between a delicate falsetto and soaring melodies. It’s the kind of track that you can either beat the hell out of the steering wheel to or serenade your competition across the room with. There’s a certain desperation in the lyrics that many creatives will resonate with (even if they hate to admit it), but it’s easy to see where they’re coming from given their prolific recent history.
The eight-date Lótus Tour kicks off at The Baso in Ngambri/Canberra on 16 April and travels around the country before wrapping things up at Magnet House in Boorloo/Perth on 26 April. Hands Like Houses are also bringing Melbourne post-hardcore icons Dream on Dreamer along for the ride, whose new album HEAVENS will be out 1 May. You can buy your tickets here – and make sure to get there early enough to catch the local supports!
More than 15 years into their career with ARIA success and a slew of sold-out tours, it’s exciting to see Hands Like Houses take their responsibility as a legacy band seriously by repaying the fans and local alternative scene alike in such a conducive way. And if you thought that a national tour was enough, then you don’t know the band very well. They’ll be embarking on a co-headline Europe tour with US alt-rockers Broadside in May to show them how we do it Down Under.
If you like what you’ve heard so far and want to make sure that they get their flowers, you know what to do.
“Flowers” is now available to stream everywhere.
Header photo credit: Matt Higgs
