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Though currently based in Los Angeles, the roots of Skittish have always been Minnesotan. Midwest Handshake was written by Jeff Noller over a two-month visit back home, temporarily trading the land of Teslas and tents for 10,000 lakes.

The songs are framed in various mid-20^th Century musical styles that would be at home in the Grand Ol’ Opry in 1960. Especially if they were played by 1980’s emo punks just handed orchestral instruments.

Modern topics like entrenched politics, media obsession, dating and fitting in, are given a retro veneer, implying we still have the same concerns and desires as we once did, just a different vocabulary.

Noller is supported by additional lead vocals from Gracie Huffman (Lighthearted) as well as string and brass orchestration provided by Chris Lahn. Drummer Brian Griffin (Lana Del Rey, Dolly Parton) lends his talents to 3 songs, as Jeremy Krueth and Mark O’Day round out the rest of the percussion. Stand up bass and Cello are prominently featured on the album, and are played masterfully by Stephen Murray and Jacqueline Ultan, respectively. Additional mixing and production help was provided by Ben Etter (Deerhunter, Kaiser Chiefs) whose analogue wonderland provided just the right amount of muscle-shoals-esque grit to the mix.

This is the 7^th full-length album released by Skittish. Existing somewhere in the friction caused by our idealized version of home rubbing against reality. The lush instrumentation evokes a fuzzy black and white sitcom, while vocal barbs remind the listener of the task at hand.

They say you can’t go home again, but Midwest Handshake invites you to visit any time.

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SKITTISH ALBUMS:

Better Out Than In
(Skittish’s take on a pop record)
Press
Bandcamp

Two Legs Bad
(A full band driven album with Animal Farm undertones)
Press
Bandcamp

The Five Stages EP
(A concept album detailing the 5 stages of grief)
Press
Bandcamp

The Perfect Shade of Green I and II
(A bold double album to fly in the face of the bite-sized temporary pop world)
Press
Bandcamp Side I
Bandcamp Side II