THE HANDMEDOWNS
Back To Yourself (Greasy Pop) - Re-released on Smashed Records in September 2004 (SMA105)

Another classy Adelaide power pop outfit in the tradition of the Mad Turks From Istanbul or The Garden Path (bass player Rohan Belton used to play for them), the Handmedowns have a winner with this six track mini-lp. Lots of jangly guitar and catchy tunes, with vocals and harmonies that punch through well enough to keep things from getting wimpy, always the danger in this sort of sound. The Handmedowns cross this tightrope with no problems. The best tracks are probably the title track (which has some of the tougher guitar on the record) and "Home", which closes side one, but this is a record that is impressive more through its consistency than the ascendancy of any one track. Production is sharp as a tack; you can hear everything in the mix perfectly. The result sounds good at low volumes and even better loud.

NKVD Records - San Diego CA


THE HANDMEDOWNS
Back To Yourself Greasy Pop GPR140 (Import) - Re-released on Smashed Records Sept. 2004 (SMA105)

Briljant pop fran Adelaide pa denna sexlatars MP! The Handmedowns drar ALL sin inspiration fran de amerikanska powerpop banden fran det sena sjuttio-/tidiga attiotalet. Ja, ni vet sakert vilka jag menar - Nerves, Plimsouls, Shoes, 20/20, etc. Latar some “Home” och titelsparet “Back To Yourself” har mer an ekon av dessa gudomliga band i sjal och hjarta. Den forsta laten pa andra sidan, “When All The World Was Young”, later mer an lovligt som “I Don’t Fit In” fran The Beats (just det, riktiga Beat med Paul Collins) forst LP. Bra text dessutom: ’In the days when all the world was young, in the days when songs were sung for fun”...Pa “Back To Yourself” ar Handmedowns en trio, men sedan den speiades in i mars 1988 har de utokat sattningen med ytterliga re en gitarrist/bakgrundssangare for att ge mer rattvisa at skivsound live. Later de halften sa bra pa scen som pa denna fina MP ar de val varda att koila in for alla Australien-resenarer.
JL - Sonic Magazine - Stockholm Sverige


The Handmedowns: Back To Yourself / Free Set of Steak Knives

Australian only import of late 80`s Australian pop band that has `that Australian sound`. You know the one, spunky `n fast rhythms, big open chorded jangle, lurching yet sunny, shiny guitars, lively vocals flying over the band-driven melodies and sounds that recall most fondly and vividly such bands as The Stems, Died Pretty, Hoodoo Gurus and Mad Turks. On the more obscure side, The Sunnyboys and The Marigolds. But much of this material will remind folks not familiar w/ these bands of classic, prime time stuff from The Plimsouls. It’s Nuggets-styled rock with that 80`s Australian jangle pop energy and the material on both their releases (Back To Yourself and Free Set Of Guitar Knives) is just classic in this genre. Both releases are great...but if you aren’t drooling and going for both at the same time, we’ll give the edge to "Back To Yourself".

Not Lame Recordings, Fort Collins, Colorado USA www.notlame.com


HANDMEDOWNS: Back to yourself

This is the excellent re-release of their 1988 six track EP originally released on Greasy Pop for the first time on CD. The HANDMEDOWNS were one of the promising new bands of the Australian power-pop scene of the late 80´s. Their sound is similar to some of our fave bands here from that period, the SUNNYBOYS, the BAM BALAMS and the SOMELOVES. Crystal clear guitars, lotsa energy and incredible melodies, the perfect formula for a great pop-song. These guys deliver it all! Remastered from original test pressing and including the Swedish edition of Goodbye. Features State of Confusion, What If I, Home, When All The World Was Young, Back to Yourself and Cornerstone.

Soundflat Mailorder, Haan-Gruiten, Germany www.soundflat.de