Sob Stories

***Fair Shakes is the debut LP from Oakland's own Sob Stories. A full length follow up to their 2017 self-titled debut 12" EP on Emotional Response, Fair Shakes picks up right where they left off. Frontman Joel Cusumano (also known for playing guitar with SF sugar poppers Cocktails and post-punk art rockers Body Double) plays the role of the tongue-in-cheek / heart-on-the-sleeve troubadour as he weaves through a dozen broken hearted / lovelorn laments. Hailing influence from the golden era of college radio the Sobs bring it back to the left of the dial offerings of the db's, Teenage Fanclub and Guided By Voices, while standing shoulder to shoulder with contemporaries like Supercrush and Young Guv. Cusumano wrote Fair Shakes over the course of several years, focusing on themes like heartache, neuroticism, and dealing with the chasm between self-centered desires and the harsh realities of life.