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After playing the flute for many years, I decided to pick up the guitar and what began as a bit of fun became a serious endeavour; over the course of many years together Sour Deluxe signed to a record label, released several CDs, and had the pleasure of entertaining crowds at many well-respected venues. I enjoyed not only the playing and performing but also the business side of being in a band, and formed Sour Deluxe Inc. to handle copyrights, trademarks, and publishing. I also enjoyed using my graphic design skills to create a unique and striking visual presence to match our sound and still use these skills to assist other bands with their identity.
I use Gibson guitars, Orange amps, and Electro-harmonix effects to create loud, heavy hitting rock music with a psychedelic/shoegazer feel. Listen to some samples of Sour Deluxe at the right - I am responsible for writing the lyrics and co-writing the music as well as singing and playing rhythm guitar on these tracks. Check out my setup, and read the reviews of both the band and myself below.  |
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Album Reviews by Andrew Kavadis, 106.7 FM Melbourne, Australia
Sour Deluxe is a Chicago based outfit with tinges of sparse psychedelica and brit-pop... comparisons towards Garbage and breakthrough Blondie records predominately exist due to a song craft that finds chugging rhythms that are complimented by soaring guitar cords and a vocalist that steers a song's direction. The band’s buzz that has shined through regular gigs at some of Chicago's most reputable venues including The House of Blues, Metro, and the Double Door.
Around Hear Reviews by Terrance Flamm, Illinois Entertainer Online
Sour Deluxe plays hard-hitting, consistently melodic tunes topped by the powerful and seductive vocals of singer/guitarist Jamie Jacobs.
Around Hear Reviews by Jaime de'Medici, Illinois Entertainer
Armed with a subtle snarl you can see through your speakers, Sour Deluxe frontwoman Jamie Jacobs is undoubtedly the outfit's not-so-secret weapon. The band excel at straightforward but never standard fuzzed-out indie pop-rock with U.K. influences.
Big Takeover Album Reviews by Jack Rabid, Editor
A little cool rock n roll EP here, with female vocals [that are] almost perfectly cool.
Amplifier Magazine Reviews by Terrence Flamm
Chicago rockers Sour Deluxe continue to impress on the five-song EP White Noise, drawing on the main ingredients that have made its previous releases successful [as] lead singer/guitarist Jamie Jacobs cuts loose with some strong vocals.
DoSomethingPretty.com Album Reviews by August Forte
Led by the enigmatic Jamie Jacobs, whose confident vocals are reminiscent of Shirley Manson and Curve's Toni Halliday. Sour Deluxe is well served by the five cuts on White Noise. The opening title track is especially strong, and it is, in fact, Jacobs’ lyrical come-ons throughout the EP that stand out.
HighBias.com Album Reviews by Michael Toland
Ass-kickin' power pop from the Windy City. Frontperson Jamie Jacobs [pens] almost ridiculously catchy melodic rock tunes and sings them in a strong, appealing voice.
Mish Mash Music Reviews
Singer/guitarist Jamie Jacobs has a sweetly sly voice--- you can almost picture her singing with a flirty smirk. She exchanges her sharply delivered vocals with her quick guitar licks, packing a one-two pop punch. The band wastes no time getting to business [as] Jacobs launches into driving pop mode…allowing her to work her superstar magic with cascading vocal harmonies and punked-out guitar riffage.
Demorama Online Reviews by Nate Patrin
This Chicago group is going for a post-'90s power-pop sound...a hook-riddled amalgam of Veruca Salt vox and Jesus and Mary Chain-sans-feedback guitar grind-and-churn.
Lazyeye.com Music Reviews by Tim McMahan
These Chicago rock athletes try to put a new spin on the girl-fronted indie rock schtick but with more than a touch of Garbage and Pumpkins influence. I like it because lead throat Jamie is kicking out "Let's Start a Revolution" like a modern-day Republica doing "Ready to Go." When she needs to be throaty, she's throaty; when she needs to be sexy, she's throaty; and when she wants to be cute she's downright precious.
Chicago Sun Times - Local Bands Making Ear-Catching Music by Jim DeRogatis, Entertainment Critic
Guitarist-vocalist Jamie Jacobs and the boys in Sour Deluxe continue to pursue their Brit pop meets Midwestern power-pop sound on yet another winning indie release, the "White Noise" EP. These five tunes find the group delivering its strongest set of tunes yet.
Americana-UK.com Album Review
Sour Deluxe delivers a fine bunch of powerpop songs with singer Jamie Jacobs distinctive and strong vocals dominating. Imagine the crunching guitars of Redd Kross with a singer somewhere between Shirley Manson and Sonya from Echobelly, with maybe a touch of Voice Of The Beehive in there too, and you’re in the right territory.
Twist and Shake Magazine by Beverly Paterson
Sour Deluxe is fronted by Jamie Jacobs, whose incredibly confident vocals crossbreed the playful sassiness of Blondie's Deborah Harry with a cool, calm and collected psychedelic outlook. The tracks on the “White Noise” EP stage a fantastic job of capturing Sour Deluxe's flair for sonic inventiveness.
GirlsBeersGuitars.com - Girl Bands Next Door
American guitar pop sensibilities mixed equally with the shoe gazing brit-pop of the early '90s. Sour Deluxe pulls it off simply because the songs are just that damn good. Layers of catchy guitars hand-in-hand with a well-crafted rack of effects lay the groundwork. Guitarist/vocalist Jamie Jacobs' unique voice, sounding a bit like a less squeaky Jane Wiedlin if Jane were singing cabaret, seals the deal with playful lyrics and infectious harmonies. If you dig: Cheap Trick, Lush, My Bloody Valentine, Veruca Salt.
Local Scene - Some Of The Best Local Shows This Week - Sour Deluxe @ Bottom Lounge by Q101
Sour Deluxe craft perfect pop-rock with an undeniable female voice fronting the group. The band can switch it up from vulnerable to defensive, all while maintaining smart melodies and impressive harmonies due in no small part to frontwoman Jamie Jacobs’ undeniable stage presence.
Around Hear Reviews by Terrence Flamm, Illinois Entertainer
Vocalist/guitarist Jamie Jacobs packs a strong enough voice to rise above the wall of noise she creates along with her bandmates . Dark, well-crafted lyrics add to the quartet's appeal.
Mp3Reviews.com by Jim Birch
Jacobs has a powerful voice that cuts right through the music with some fantastic harmonies and incredibly produced backing vocals.
Chicago Sun Times Bands on the Runway - Spinning Local Indies by Jim DeRogatis, Entertainment Critic
Mixing bouncy new wave pop hooks and a swirling psychedelic guitar sound, this trio is obviously taking its cues from Garbage, as well as their British "shoegazer" predecessors, Lush. Jamie Jacobs is a winning front person and the colorful cast of characters populating these songs distinguishes the group from mere copycats, marking it as one to watch.
Chicago Sun Times "Top Picks" by Mary Houlihan
Textured guitars, big beats and Jamie Jacobs' soaring vocals give this Chicago [band] a pleasing pop-rock crunch.
Chicago Tribune by Lou Carlozo, features writer
I am very impressed. I must say that Jamie [Jacobs] has quite the voice and her songwriting is very clever.
Citilink Live and Local: Sour Deluxe's Angst-Ridden Power Pop by Nelson Whipple, Entertainment Correspondent
Next of kin to Garbage version 1.0 and grandchild to Blondie circa Parallel Lines, Jamie Jacobs' voice matches Shirley Manson's and Deborah Harry's for power and expression while Sour Deluxe nails down each song with a blazing wall of guitar and authoritative, pounding grooves.
Sour Deluxe is a Chicago based outfit with tinges of sparse psychedelica and brit-pop... comparisons towards Garbage and breakthrough Blondie records predominately exist due to a song craft that finds chugging rhythms that are complimented by soaring guitar cords and a vocalist that steers a song's direction. The band’s buzz that has shined through regular gigs at some of Chicago's most reputable venues including The House of Blues, Metro, and the Double Door.
Around Hear Reviews by Terrance Flamm, Illinois Entertainer Online
Sour Deluxe plays hard-hitting, consistently melodic tunes topped by the powerful and seductive vocals of singer/guitarist Jamie Jacobs.
Around Hear Reviews by Jaime de'Medici, Illinois Entertainer
Armed with a subtle snarl you can see through your speakers, Sour Deluxe frontwoman Jamie Jacobs is undoubtedly the outfit's not-so-secret weapon. The band excel at straightforward but never standard fuzzed-out indie pop-rock with U.K. influences.
Big Takeover Album Reviews by Jack Rabid, Editor
A little cool rock n roll EP here, with female vocals [that are] almost perfectly cool.
Amplifier Magazine Reviews by Terrence Flamm
Chicago rockers Sour Deluxe continue to impress on the five-song EP White Noise, drawing on the main ingredients that have made its previous releases successful [as] lead singer/guitarist Jamie Jacobs cuts loose with some strong vocals.
DoSomethingPretty.com Album Reviews by August Forte
Led by the enigmatic Jamie Jacobs, whose confident vocals are reminiscent of Shirley Manson and Curve's Toni Halliday. Sour Deluxe is well served by the five cuts on White Noise. The opening title track is especially strong, and it is, in fact, Jacobs’ lyrical come-ons throughout the EP that stand out.
HighBias.com Album Reviews by Michael Toland
Ass-kickin' power pop from the Windy City. Frontperson Jamie Jacobs [pens] almost ridiculously catchy melodic rock tunes and sings them in a strong, appealing voice.
Mish Mash Music Reviews
Singer/guitarist Jamie Jacobs has a sweetly sly voice--- you can almost picture her singing with a flirty smirk. She exchanges her sharply delivered vocals with her quick guitar licks, packing a one-two pop punch. The band wastes no time getting to business [as] Jacobs launches into driving pop mode…allowing her to work her superstar magic with cascading vocal harmonies and punked-out guitar riffage.
Demorama Online Reviews by Nate Patrin
This Chicago group is going for a post-'90s power-pop sound...a hook-riddled amalgam of Veruca Salt vox and Jesus and Mary Chain-sans-feedback guitar grind-and-churn.
Lazyeye.com Music Reviews by Tim McMahan
These Chicago rock athletes try to put a new spin on the girl-fronted indie rock schtick but with more than a touch of Garbage and Pumpkins influence. I like it because lead throat Jamie is kicking out "Let's Start a Revolution" like a modern-day Republica doing "Ready to Go." When she needs to be throaty, she's throaty; when she needs to be sexy, she's throaty; and when she wants to be cute she's downright precious.
Chicago Sun Times - Local Bands Making Ear-Catching Music by Jim DeRogatis, Entertainment Critic
Guitarist-vocalist Jamie Jacobs and the boys in Sour Deluxe continue to pursue their Brit pop meets Midwestern power-pop sound on yet another winning indie release, the "White Noise" EP. These five tunes find the group delivering its strongest set of tunes yet.
Americana-UK.com Album Review
Sour Deluxe delivers a fine bunch of powerpop songs with singer Jamie Jacobs distinctive and strong vocals dominating. Imagine the crunching guitars of Redd Kross with a singer somewhere between Shirley Manson and Sonya from Echobelly, with maybe a touch of Voice Of The Beehive in there too, and you’re in the right territory.
Twist and Shake Magazine by Beverly Paterson
Sour Deluxe is fronted by Jamie Jacobs, whose incredibly confident vocals crossbreed the playful sassiness of Blondie's Deborah Harry with a cool, calm and collected psychedelic outlook. The tracks on the “White Noise” EP stage a fantastic job of capturing Sour Deluxe's flair for sonic inventiveness.
GirlsBeersGuitars.com - Girl Bands Next Door
American guitar pop sensibilities mixed equally with the shoe gazing brit-pop of the early '90s. Sour Deluxe pulls it off simply because the songs are just that damn good. Layers of catchy guitars hand-in-hand with a well-crafted rack of effects lay the groundwork. Guitarist/vocalist Jamie Jacobs' unique voice, sounding a bit like a less squeaky Jane Wiedlin if Jane were singing cabaret, seals the deal with playful lyrics and infectious harmonies. If you dig: Cheap Trick, Lush, My Bloody Valentine, Veruca Salt.
Local Scene - Some Of The Best Local Shows This Week - Sour Deluxe @ Bottom Lounge by Q101
Sour Deluxe craft perfect pop-rock with an undeniable female voice fronting the group. The band can switch it up from vulnerable to defensive, all while maintaining smart melodies and impressive harmonies due in no small part to frontwoman Jamie Jacobs’ undeniable stage presence.
Around Hear Reviews by Terrence Flamm, Illinois Entertainer
Vocalist/guitarist Jamie Jacobs packs a strong enough voice to rise above the wall of noise she creates along with her bandmates . Dark, well-crafted lyrics add to the quartet's appeal.
Mp3Reviews.com by Jim Birch
Jacobs has a powerful voice that cuts right through the music with some fantastic harmonies and incredibly produced backing vocals.
Chicago Sun Times Bands on the Runway - Spinning Local Indies by Jim DeRogatis, Entertainment Critic
Mixing bouncy new wave pop hooks and a swirling psychedelic guitar sound, this trio is obviously taking its cues from Garbage, as well as their British "shoegazer" predecessors, Lush. Jamie Jacobs is a winning front person and the colorful cast of characters populating these songs distinguishes the group from mere copycats, marking it as one to watch.
Chicago Sun Times "Top Picks" by Mary Houlihan
Textured guitars, big beats and Jamie Jacobs' soaring vocals give this Chicago [band] a pleasing pop-rock crunch.
Chicago Tribune by Lou Carlozo, features writer
I am very impressed. I must say that Jamie [Jacobs] has quite the voice and her songwriting is very clever.
Citilink Live and Local: Sour Deluxe's Angst-Ridden Power Pop by Nelson Whipple, Entertainment Correspondent
Next of kin to Garbage version 1.0 and grandchild to Blondie circa Parallel Lines, Jamie Jacobs' voice matches Shirley Manson's and Deborah Harry's for power and expression while Sour Deluxe nails down each song with a blazing wall of guitar and authoritative, pounding grooves.
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