Search - Stolen Babies :: There Be Squabbles Ahead (Dig)

Love Them To Death

Solo Goodspeed | Granada Hills, CA United States | 05/09/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Imagine early Oingo Boingo channeled through Nine Inch Nails, fronted by an accordion-playing harlequin (Dominique Pemquin, remember that name) who croons like Edith Piaf when she's not bleating like a goat or screaming like a banshee (that is NOT a criticism)... as a point of reference, that would start to describe this dark little band on their most impressive premiere effort. What with the Gothic Circus getup apparent in their live shows, they almost come off as a novelty act, but the songs and arrangements are solid and smack of greatness. From the punchy punkiness of "Tablescrap", through the epic drudge of "Push Button", the polyrhythmic sophistication of "Year of Judges", the campy cabaret of "Swint? Or Slude?" and even a sort of reflective ballad, "Lifeless", Stolen Babies knows their way around the musical palette without losing a distinctive unified sound in the course of these 13 tracks.



"Squabbles" is one of my favorite discoveries of the 21st Century, a monster debut, and I look forward to more from these folks, hoping they don't get trivialized as a mere novelty act, as there is some truly fine, enduring music here, worthy of exceptional exposure."