We All Have Hooks for Hands

We All Have Hooks for Hands is a Sioux Falls, South Dakota-based collective that emerged in 2005 as a studio project before evolving into a nine-member touring entity. Formed by musicians from the local punk and hardcore scenes, the band repurposed that aggressive energy into maximalist indie pop and chamber folk.

Their sound is characterized by a dense, 'wall of sound' approach involving dueling drummers, a prominent brass section, and choral vocal arrangements. Signing to Afternoon Records in 2007, they became a staple of the midwestern indie scene alongside peers like Mouthful of Bees. Their debut, 'The Pretender', established their reputation for exuberant, chaotic arrangements, while 2009's 'The Shape of Energy' saw them move toward a more cohesive, live-in-studio recording process. Critically, they are viewed as a quintessential example of the mid-2000s 'orchestral indie' boom, similar to Arcade Fire or Architecture in Helsinki, but with a distinct rural, DIY Midwestern grit. Their influence remains tied to the regional South Dakota scene, representing a high-water mark for communal, large-ensemble pop music in the area.