“I expected to check in on the endearingly wobbly couples dance that is local garage-pop band Hot Hands, a younger, hipper, garage-rock version of Mark & Lorna. But it was nice to be surprised with a kick that was noisier, louder and altogether better. They’d never be mistaken for a slick commercial band but why would you ever want to gentrify the flavor out of their rock & roll? The biggest difference this time was Jeffrey Howard’s guitar sound, which is no longer the scrappily dinky riffing of before but something way tougher. Their playfully kitschy image is becoming increasingly deceptive because the Hot Hands sound is turning into a beast”

“Closing was the hit-and-run garage-pop of Hot Hands. Comprised of drummer Kristin Messina and guitarist Jeffrey Howard (whose collective résumé includes Jeanie & the Tits, the Courtneys and the Sharp Objects), the girlfriend-boyfriend duo bashed out a set that was exactly like my first kiss: amateurishly sloppy but totally awesome. Besides enjoyable music, the ridiculous exchanges between the two made the performance virtually a comedy act.”

“ LIVE REVIEW: "Garage rock duo Hot Hands infused the evening with a lighter energy, playing a fast-and-loose style that could be succinctly described as The Hives with occasional noise-rock ornamentation. Guitarist Jeff Howard made his guitar sound like everything from bubbling water to a helicopter, but all of this sonic chicanery was kept at the margins of the band’s largely straightforward, aggressively fun tunes. Both Howard and drummer Kristen Messina provided exuberant vocals, and when they finished their whiskey shot of a set—most of their songs clocked in around two minutes."”