HALF-HANDED CLOUD - Halo’s & Lasso’s

Artist: HALF-HANDED CLOUD
Album: Halo’s & Lasso’s
Label: Asthmatic Kitty

Lo-fi bedroom noodling twee-pop goes first testament gospel on this chipper ‘n cheeky albeit offbeat offering from John Ringhofer, a.k.a. Half-Handed Cloud. Pinning songs and rather catchy pop melodies armed with an unusual instrument, the Omnichord (“a vintage 80's kidney-shaped electronic auto-harp/drum machine/synthesizer”) and acoustic guitar and what sounds like samples straight out of video game soundtracks, puns ‘galorify’ here in spreading the gospel. That it’s on the same label as Sufjan Stevens serves only to suggest a great taste in music. “Halo’s & Lasso’s” plays like A Boy Least Likely To gone baroque pop… Someone so infectiously inspired, by, well, their beliefs and life in general, deserves to spread all their love and cheer to especially the unsuspecting. Even in its short running time, Half-Handed Cloud guarantees to turn your frown upside down with a halo, a lasso and my blessing!
~ Reviewer: Riaan (Canned Applause)