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Quotes and Links (Below) The music is unique, combining funk, jazz, and rock,
with a huge dose of soul on top. No matter what they were playing, it just oozed
soul. Listen to their three albums and it's clear
the band has plenty of punch right from the start. "Get What You Deserve" is another Mish-McDonald one-two punch;
Mish's roadhouse ivory-pounding and his brother's rousing guitar makes for a shouter
that could be a cover of an unreleased Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels tune.
Left Hand Smoke has earned a reputation for romping live shows
and a loyal following in the college towns of the Northwest. American band Left Hand Smoke deliver an earthy brand of rhythm and
blues harking back to a time when R&B was about love lost in smokey bars and
dancing on tables under the influence of a few too many shots of sour mash. The best way to describe Left Hand Smoke is to say it sounds
like Van Morrison met with B.B. King and collided with Train on the way up. Storied songwriting and a richer, fuller sound on the band's
latest release, "Nonsense Parade," celebrate Left Hand Smoke's individuality
and influences. For a self-produced debut,
Left Hand Smoke is a startlingly accomplished record. Left Hand Smoke's second album continues to flaunt
conviction and chops beyond the band's years. AMG Rating 4 Stars Left Hand Smoke's 1999 debut announced
the arrival of one of the best unsigned bands in the country. AMG Biography Left Hand Smoke continues to draw
hordes of college kids to its energetic shows with the help of steady support
from radio station KMTT. The formula is pretty simple, and contains elements of
classic R&B, funk and bluesy rock. What makes it special is the sincerity
with which LHS delivers the goods and the economy of the playing. Many bands of
this genre fall into the trap of wanky overplaying; Left Hand Smoke keeps it simple,
to the benefit of the songs. If you've been listening to
most of the corporate pop that has poisoned the airwaves, let me warn you -- this
album might have a little too much music in it. "...a
furious romp of smokin' grooves and burnin' rhythm and blues as kicked out by
a pack of hungry wolves bent on dazzling audiences with their showmanship and
virtuosity. " "...a straight-ahead rock
'n' roll killing machine. " "This young
five-piece infuses its revved up blues-based rock with more than a little soul.
These guys aren't jumping on a bandwagon so much as building one of their own
-- from the ground up... Their rise to local prominence has been swift, and the
national buzz that is beginning to form around Left Hand Smoke is getting so loud
it must be hard for these guys to hear themselves think...some form of mega-stardom
can't be far behind." "Left Hand Smoke
-- a touch of blues and southern rock, well-crafted songs, good guitar, keyboards
and vocals, and a future that could very well prove that where there's smoke there's
fire." "The Northwest offers
more than a few talented original Blues-rock acts poised to make a jump to the
bigs. Leading the way with their soulful Southern-rock tinged rhapsodies are Left
Hand Smoke." "The way this band commands
an audience harks back to the Spencer Davis Group and the early Stones...that's
the kind of fire that this young, incendiary band brings to their customarily
sweaty, sold-out gigs. "Catch Left Hand
Smoke in Seattle while you still can. If these guys catch on in the rest of the
country like they have in our fair city, they won't be playing venues like Ballard's
Tractor Tavern for long." "A fun, upbeat pop-blues
band with a knack for catchy songs." "How
much bigger can this local roots-rock band get before biz honchos swoop down and
scoop them up? Get 'm while you can - it'll only be a matter of time before Left
Hand Smoke catch on all over the country." LHS "distinguish
themselves through formidable musicianship and a controlled looseness
and
they find a nice balance between structure, discipline, and playfulness. LHS are
a band to keep an eye on." "A creative and energizing
mixture of contemporary styles with classic rhythms." "Seattle-based rock act Left Hand Smoke, a bluesy quintet reminiscent
of the Dave Matthews Band, the Allman Brothers and Little Feat, is set to break
out of the Pacific Northwest." | |||
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