November 04, 2005

Upcoming In-Store: Fielding + Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers

FIELDING + STEPHEN KELLOGG AND THE SIXERS Sunday, November 6th – 1:00pm

Hey everybody! Just a reminder to stop by this weekend for our live music double-header. Double the bands, double the fun. Be sure to spend the afternoon with us, and maybe pick up some cd's while you're at it (yes, there will be a sweet in-store poster available with the purchase of either artists new record!)

Sunday, November 6th - 1:00pm (NOTE NEW START TIME)

JUST ADDED: STEPHEN KELLOGG AND THE SIXERS 1:00pm

FIELDING 2:00pm

--Kellogg and crew are garnering all sorts of critical praise for their raucous and rowdy mix of Southern Rock/Americana throwdowns, even being compared to Wilco circa-A.M. Not only does Kellogg possess energetic musical chops, but some raw-nerved lyricism that gets branded as somewhere between West Coast pop classicism and ragged old-west heart-string-tearing. This mix of highly professional songcraft and heartfelt lyrical output, makes them just as at home with the post-Starbucks "folk" sound of the Hotel Cafe troupe, as they with the dive-bar/9-5 working man/blue jean stomp bands that will never make it out of the bar, but have every drop as much talent as you hear on the radio. Unresolved issues with the opposite sex? Seems like it... Old-school road-dogs, these guys have been running across the country, making friends at every stop, and will undoubtedly get things started with a bang. Here's hoping some Paul Westerberg / Replacements magic shines through.

"Kellogg's vocals are charged with romantic angst and charmed out twang - a winning combo that pulled me back again and again for obsessive listening." -- Modern Guitar Magazine.

"Every track is an intimate piece of his heart, unafraid of wearing his heart on his sleeve, and equally unafraid to tell you what he thinks at any given moment." -- RocknWorld.com

Check out thier website for the complete scoop, and some choice audio teasers.
stephenkellogg.com

Several months ago a friend, who has a small indie label, started asking me about a Long Beach band called Fielding. He couldn’t say enough good things about them, and I had to admit I hadn’t heard of them. He sent me their demos, and I was shocked that such a cool band was in our backyard and that they were so far off our radar. Anyway, flash-forward a bit, and Fielding is now signed to the Militia Group (my friend got beat out) and they’ve released their first album, just last week actually, and the press is rolling in, and so far, it’s been good. I’m rambling because while familiar, in a comfortable old sweater way, Fielding is a bit tough to nail down. They rock (though this will be an acoustic set), their lyrics are great (I love the song Giant, about a giant with weak ankles), and their Myspace page lists their influences as “beatles, beach boys, the frames, flaming lips, neil young, wilco, radiohead, ben folds, elvis costello, bob dylan, nirvana, cat stevens, u2, superdrag, jon brion, the verve, built to spill, elliott smith, aimee mann, sigur ros, michael penn, coldplay, stones, smiths, the rentals, beck, bjork. ernest hemingway, george orwell, douglas coupland. cold weather. sunshine. all things blue collar. ass kickers and underdogs.” That is certainly a mouthful, but when I listen, I can hear why each of them is there, except maybe Bjork (and that’s a good thing). This will be a big band, and this is a great opportunity to get a taste of what might be happening in the garage next door.

What the press is saying:

"Subtlety is not dead; it merely feels that way if you listen to too much radio...Fielding stoke the fires, making nuanced rock with melodic guilelessness and winsome sophistication. Think Travis at the British band's lushest, or the Get Up Kids, if the Midwesterners got out more..." -Kevin Bronson, “Buzz Bands" Los Angeles Times

...they're much more akin to Doves, Coldplay, and The Verve. Comparisons schmarisons, they're excellent..."--LA-UNDERGROUND

Listen to a few songs: http://www.myspace.com/fielding