I see a man roaming through the flatlands of Tennessee carrying a bottle of bourbon in his knapsack waiting for dawn to break. I see a family tied down to their land out of necessity. I see a field of dead flowers, and hear the steel thrust of a train roll by. The images and stories apparent in Doc Baker's Traveling Musicological Extravaganza is both captivating and a sound I've been longing for in the Upstate music region, and I'm pleased to have discovered them recently after their existence since 2008 out of Fredonia, NY. 

Doc Baker's sound originally focused on an acoustic style, seen on their album Friends and Outlaws released on Canadaway Records, that ties the knots together of where their first musical loves lie, calling up the earthy and wild sounds of Neil Young or modern-act Elephant Revival. Featuring additional orchestration to the group such as fiddle, organs, and piano provides a catchy, country sound that I haven't heard duplicated before within the local scene. 

Recently, their latest album Alleluia Maybe takes a more blues-folk-Americana turn that shows a solid progression and exploration of sound. Ben Baker's a cappella shines on "I May Not Be A Dancer" that suits the theme of a soul-searching vagabond in the rougher side of town. "Grapevines" showcases Ben Baker and Brian Theobald's energy, a pensive and heavy ballad from the perspective of an oppressed blue-collar worker. Not to mention, the album art by Jeannette McDunnah illustrates, with a bare-styled approach the landscape Doc Baker's Traveling Musicological Extravaganza draws from for inspiration.

Eager to see these guys live? Since their move to Rochester, NY, it's more than likely they'll be around town. Check out their work on Doc Baker's Bandcamp, and give a glance to their Facebook! 

Stephen Kellogg of Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers is ready to capture the beating heart of the country on his new solo album, Blunderstone Rookery, coming out this June. Mixed by Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes and Monsters of Folk fame, the promising record contains instrumental contributions from members of Nickel Creek, OAR, and Sugarland. For those curious about Kellogg's ambitious take on the American experience, the widescreen vision of his train-chugging debut single, "Thanksgiving," has surfaced, placing the listener at a window seat. The song chronicles the agony of debt and divorce, the excitement of raising a family, and the unspoken contradictions found in the way we think and live. At ten minutes, the courageous single dares to present a bold decade-spanning narrative, justifying its running time with complex lyricism, layered production, and go-for-broke passion.