Streetlight Manifesto’s delayed release of their newest album “The Hands That Thieve” was more than worth the wait. This album delves right into the familiar sounds of the band, creating an atmosphere that will draw the newest of fans, as well as keep the old ones coming.
Their raw, yet identifiable sound can be heard unwavering through this entire album. “The Hands That Thieve” brings more than the usual punching horns, punk beats, and yelling vocals; This album is a work of art and is a great definition of music. Whether you are a fan of the genre or not, this album has a very real sound to it. The lyrics express a certain message of realism and brutal honesty that is hard to find in most music today.
The first song to be released from this album before it was out was an acoustic version of the 5th track “With Any Sort of Certainty”. This song, though acoustic, set up the listener on what to expect for the upcoming album and definitely didn’t disappoint. The energized, charged up sound of Streetlight Manifesto still reigns supreme in this album. Songs like “The Three of Us”, “With Any Sort of Certainty”, and title track “The Hands That Thieve” prove to bring a powerhouse record to ska fans and any fans of bands that put an original spin on traditional songwriting.
The singer/songwriter/guitarist of the band, Tomas Kalnoky, brings a homey feel in his lyrics and vocals that is supercharged by the rest of the band. This album wants to make you jump and dance and hum along, but has a certain comforting sadness to it. As far as the album itself goes, these song mesh really well together and bring back a style that is composed of singer/songwriter and ska. It’s fair to say that Streetlight Manifesto has mastered this sound and genre and only proves this point further with “The Hands That Thieve”.
This album will bring a great satisfaction to any past fans of Streetlight Manifesto and will excite any new listeners of the band. “The Hands That Thieve” keep an old school punk feel with a new age ska spin to it. This album is the perfect album for new and old fans; it brings the listener through a rollercoaster of emotions as the album progresses.
Rating 9.5/10