Sour Babies

"Running five-and-a-half-minutes, Jamison casts his voice like a lure across a river as golden sunlight hits the water in late afternoon. Beneath the gauziness of guitar, barely there percussion, and Felkin's backing falsetto, the song slowly spools out warmth and romantic scenery. Then, it veers around a Beatles-inspired bend and livens up as though a troupe of commedia dell'arte appeared on the river bank to accentuate the tragicomedy. It's a nice bit of songcraft to shift the song in another direction so seamlessly. The Sour Babies are full of romantic, dusty notions that emerge in song after song. Catch 'em live to see what they will conjure next."

--Pete Dulin, Editor, Present Magazine - www.presentmagazine.com

"On their debut, the Sour Babies — great name — sounded a bit like Rufus Wainwright trying his hand at singing gothic folk. On Morning Star, their new EP, the seven-piece has upped the drama and moved into something more like Queen doing spaghetti-Western themes. With violins, accordions and guitars ringing out in the distance, it sounds as though the bad guys might gallop into town any second. Adding to the theatricality is singer-songwriter Brent Jamison's longwinded, meandering vocals, which have a way of either ascending or descending grandly. This can be cloying or convincing, depending on the song.

On "Parallax," vocalist Mary Sanders delivers an elegant, breezy melody, when all of a sudden Jamison barges in and crashes the party, delivering a never-ending, goofball vocal line that sounds like something out of a shelved Disney musical. On the other hand, there's the opening track "Vagaries & Cemeteries," which starts out Norah Jones-snoozy but gets a nice jolt when Jamison arrives to harmonize with Sanders' smoky vocals. I swear it sounds like a folked-out version of "Killer Queen." I'm into it. I just wish some of these good ideas were more frequently joined together in the same song."

--David Hudnall, Music Editor, Pitch Magazine - Pitch Magazine

"On their debut, the Sour Babies — great name — sounded a bit like Rufus Wainwright trying his hand at singing gothic folk. On Morning Star, their new EP, the seven-piece has upped the drama and moved into something more like Queen doing spaghetti-Western themes. With violins, accordions and guitars ringing out in the distance, it sounds as though the bad guys might gallop into town any second. Adding to the theatricality is singer-songwriter Brent Jamison's longwinded, meandering vocals, which have a way of either ascending or descending grandly. This can be cloying or convincing, depending on the song.

On "Parallax," vocalist Mary Sanders delivers an elegant, breezy melody, when all of a sudden Jamison barges in and crashes the party, delivering a never-ending, goofball vocal line that sounds like something out of a shelved Disney musical. On the other hand, there's the opening track "Vagaries & Cemeteries," which starts out Norah Jones-snoozy but gets a nice jolt when Jamison arrives to harmonize with Sanders' smoky vocals. I swear it sounds like a folked-out version of "Killer Queen." I'm into it. I just wish some of these good ideas were more frequently joined together in the same song."

--David Hudnall, Music Editor, Pitch Magazine - Pitch Magazine

Halcyon sounds are on tap at the Record Bar Sunday night as KC's newest boyfriend-girlfriend singer-songwriter duo, the Sour Babies, delivers sweet lullabies. Backed by a drummer and a bassist, singer Brent Jamison and clarinetist Danielle Perica first soothed a fairly sizable crowd of fatigued souls two weeks ago at their debut show at the Brick. This time, they're reconfiguring their lineup with various wind instruments, sans the bass and drums. Expect some sassy tambourine action as the pair transmits ethereal harmonies and echoey crooning reminiscent of the Decemberists and Neutral Milk Hotel. Listen especially for "Clemency on Locust Street," a gratifying love song for the tortured midtown soul.


http://www.pitch.com/2008-01-17/music/the-sour-babies/ - The Pitch -- January 17, 2008

The Kansas City duo of Brent Jamison and Danielle Perica comprise The Sour Babies. They produce the kind of sweet, melancholy sound that signals the complications of bittersweet love. Think Madeleine Peyroux with a hint of gothic tragedy lurking in the shadows. Perica's voice wafts sweetly with the melodious notes of a mockingbird above Jamison's earthly, matter-of-fact narration. The music is performed with restraint which enhances the power of gentle guitar strumming at times or a fuzzed-out guitar lick at others. Atmospheric strings, rhythmic clapping, and warm, mellow horn notes add pleasing accents. These songs are romantic, forlorn, weary, and delightful.

Look for The Sour Babies to impress local audiences this year.


¨C¨CPete Dulin, PresentMagazine.com

http://www.presentmagazine.com/full_content.php?article_id=1016&full=yes&pbr=5

- PresentMagazine -- January 21, 2008