Biography
The Shaky Hands, hailing from Portland, craft a clever yet loosely constructed strain of indie pop shaped by longstanding folk-rock traditions and the melodic drive of British Invasion acts, a combination that established them as hometown stalwarts while attracting listeners farther afield. Nicholas Delffs on vocals and guitar joined forces with drummer Colin Anderson in 2003 to launch the project after Anderson relocated to Portland from Mendocino, California. Bassist Paul Culp completed the initial lineup, and the three immediately began developing original songs. Recording took place at a temporary studio belonging to guitarist Jeff Lehman, who soon integrated into the band; those sessions yielded the self-released album The Skidmore Days in 2004. Paul Culp departed later that year, with Mayhaw Hoons stepping in on bass and making his first appearance on a 2005 EP. The group became a regular fixture across Portland’s music circuit, performing at venues ranging from house parties to the PDX Now Pop Festival. In 2007 Willamette Week named them Portland’s Best New Band shortly following the arrival of their second album, The Shaky Hands, issued on Holocene Records. Critical praise for the record led to deals with the American indie imprint Kill Rock Stars and Europe’s Memphis Industries. Ahead of the 2008 release Lunglight, Colin Anderson exited, prompting multi-instrumentalist Nathan Delffs—Nicholas’s brother, already collaborating with the band—to switch to drums. By year’s end Nathan had also left, and Jake Morris, previously of the Joggers, took over the drum chair. The album Let It Die followed in 2009.
Albums
