Oh so Sour

"Not only do they sound like a tight unit, opening track 'Might As Well Settle' is lifted by some guitar work that's best described as jaunty, and we mean that in a good way. In fact decent guitar lines are a running theme; it's the six string that makes 'She Has Your Name' that little bit better. ...'Pretty Girls'...picks up for the chorus, completing an opening trilogy of note. 'Three Cheers' and the lively 'Teeth Or Pedal' also tie in nicely with the vibe created here. There's a hint of punk fury in 'Honeycomb' and 'Burn Burn Burn' is nice. ...Want some good old fashioned alt-rock? You'll find it right here. Turns out it's not so sour after all." - The Sound of Confusion, March 8, 2013 "The various instruments that populate and embroider Oh So Sour — multiple guitars, bass, Rhodes, drums, bullhorn, to name just a few — all fall effortlessly into place and time. But Yates’ lyrics, simultaneously tongue-in-cheek and openhearted, cause his presence to stand out to the extreme, at times reminiscent of the Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle, with whom Yates has played, and the Lemonheads’ Evan Dando. Lines such as “You’ll probably be happier when I’m gone / You can’t say that about your looks,” from “Pretty Girls” and “I’ve dug a hole and now I’ll dig an abyss” (“Three Cheers”), are just too good not to steal center stage. You can relate to Yates’ sad-bastard declarations without sinking pitifully deep into them. It would not be fair to overlook the expert performances executed by the Affiliates. On tracks such as “She Has Your Name” and “Loaded,” they truly shine. Special kudos to the supplemental guitar work of Kevin Stevens and Raph Worrick (Dirtminers). Of course, lines such as “You can’t call it cheating when she has your name” (from “She Has Your Name”) often steal your attention away from the band." - Sean Hood, Seven Days, Burlington, VT, February 13-20, 2013