It’s a story we’ve heard too many times before: someone in a band somewhere in America freaks out when when they discover someone on the other side of the world is recording under the same name. That’s what happened with Auckland band Shaky Hands.

After forming early in 2006, Shaky Hands released the Cut Off Your Hands EP in July that year, only to switch the names after a letter arrived from Portland band Shaky Hands’ legal representative. So Cut Off Your Hands was born, and with the Shaky Hands EP under their belts the band toured with the likes of You Am I, Shihad and We Are Scientists.

Described as ‘Split Enz unhinged covering Gang of Four songs’, Cut Off Your Hands made their mark with their debut EP, thanks largely to lead track You and I, which became a hit via Triple J as well as community and independent radio stations around the country. And the attention garnered from that first EP was enough to turn heads overseas, as the band were accepted to play at the South by Southwest music convention in Texas earlier this year.

Signed to Levity, the recording initiative started by jeans giants Levi’s, Cut Off Your Hands made the most of their time overseas, laying down tracks for their Blue On Blue EP with former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler. Interestingly enough, Butler was playing with Suede when an American band of the same name demanded they go by a different name in the States (hence the brief existence of a band named ‘The London Suede’). Contrary to what you might expect from Bernard Butler, the end product was much lighter and more melodic than the brooding and edgy Shaky Hands. The disc also features unique artwork based on braille translations for ‘Cut Off Your Hands’ and ‘Blue On Blue’.

Blue On Blue is out now through Levity. Check the gig guide here at FasterLouder for dates as the band head off on a national tour in August and September.