The Bear - Stephen Kellogg

Thirty-two-year-old folk-rock singer/songwriter Stephen Kellogg, along with his backup band the Sixers (who consisted of Keith Karlson and Brian "Boots" Factor upon the release of this album), has had his ups and downs, beginning with self-released efforts, working his way up to a major label and being dropped, and now fetching up with a well-established independent, Vanguard Records, for The Bear. His music is melodic pop/rock, usually featuring an acoustic guitar supported by an electric bass and drums, with other midrange instruments -- keyboards here, banjo there -- filling in the sound, all in the support of Kellogg's smooth tenor singing catchy choruses to story songs, at least some of which sound like they must be autobiographical. In particular, it would be surprising to hear that "Satisfied Man," on which Kellogg is only accompanied by that acoustic guitar, was fictional, since it is the first-person account of a happily married family man trying to explain to his wife and family (and to himself) why, if he's so satisfied, he also needs to hit the road regularly and be away from them so much. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide