Album Notes

Album number three by trend-setting indie rockers The Handcuffs delivers 13 lucky tracks of edgy, powerful and inspiring songs, that are both melody-driven and replete with the band's trademark twists and turns. The production has been called "masterful" by early release watchers, and their newest batch of tunes have already been slated for placement in network television shows. Songs from their first two releases have seen feature placements in over 40 films and television shows on the CW, MTV, VH1, NBC, ABC, Showtime, E!, A&E, PBS and more. Mike Hagler (Wilco, Neko Case) has returned to produce "Waiting for the Robot" alongside band leaders Brad Elvis and Chloe F. Orwell to create a terrific set of intelligent, witty and, often sexy songs that have the sheen, but doesn't ignore those dark and dangerous places. Garage and glam have recurring roles in "Robot," and the band borrows from familiar influences while still being able to create a sound all their own. Comparisons to Ting Tings and T-Rex make a lot of sense, but listen closely and you'll hear some interesting hat-tipping to artists new and old, including Goldfrapp, Velvet Underground and even The Who. Although drummer Elvis and vocalist Orwell are the brain-trust behind The Handcuffs and contribute to the instrumental make-up of the album, the duo is joined in the studio and on stage by powerhouse musicians Emily Togni (bass), Ellis Clark (guitar) and Alison Hinderliter (keyboards).

EARLY PRAISE FOR WAITING FOR THE ROBOT:
"Chicago-based [duo] The Handcuffs are on a mission to relegate the omnipotent R&B sound to the margins of your musical life with a style and energy that'll take your breath away. 'Baby I Love You' sounds like a duet between Lou Reed and the Ting Tings' Katie White. It's so cool it gotta wear shades. 'Dirty Glitter' is a dirty, sleazy slice of glam rock that sounds like an epistle from Suzie Quatro. Miss You On Tuesday starts off like the Electric Prunes before morphing into a track that sounds like Blondie covering a long lost track from Sgt Peppers. It's garage rock with a classic twist and as catchy as a baseball mitt soaked in super glue. You just can't escape the hold of the Handcuffs."
--The Devil Has the Best Tuna, U.K.

"Overall, Waiting for the Robot is an outstanding offering from The Handcuffs, and any fan of glam or pop or rock or a combination of the three will find this thing irresistible. Listen to it twice through and you'll have more than one favorite new song."
--Kevin Triebsch, Atlanta Examiner

"Drums lead: Handcuffs break out from the traditional styles of music... There aren't There aren't a great number of musical groups for whom the drummer is the prime creative force. But there aren't many bands like The Handcuffs, either."
--Tim Cain, Entertainment Editor, the Herald & Review

"They've gotten better and better. And better. And again this year, they're even better...What I heard was more fantastic three- and four-minute pop songs. There's a little more emphasis on piano on a handful of tracks this time around, and a couple of the songs go off in delightful and unexpectedly weird directions."
--Tim Cain, Entertainment Editor (from his blog), the Herald & Review

You've really got to hand it to drummer Brad Elvis and vocalist Chloe F. Orwell of The Handcuffs. As the band's resident brain-trust, they clearly have a singular mission in mind, making great pop records. To the listener, "Waiting For The Robot" will feel less like an album project and more like a collection of great 45's.
--Dan Pavelich, Kenosha News