Stephen Kellogg: Glassjaw Boxer

By: Bill Clifford

As a New England resident, I’ve heard accolades and plaudits for nasal voiced confessional rocker Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers for ages but I’d yet to hear his music until his latest, Glassjaw Boxer (Everfine). His third release with The Sixers finds Kellogg introspective and reflective, albeit in a pop style. Opener “Sweet Sophia,” with its playfully plucked piano intro, is an ode to a new life or a new love. On the other hand, the title track finds him fighting for his rock & roll livelihood against “streamers in a vacant hall” and “the chattering of businessmen/ smug traces from the critic’s pen,” possibly referencing the band’s previous release with Universal Records. On the lovely acoustic rocker “Cabin In The Woods” the narrator solemnly contemplates the life of a broken family, while on the organ heavy road song “Milwaukee,” he defends a career choice. “Father’s Day” is laced with weepy steel guitar courtesy of producer Mike Daly (Grace Potter, Whiskeytown), and Caitlin Cary (Whiskeytown) adds backing vocals on several songs. This Glassjaw Boxer stands poised to go the distance.

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