STEPHEN KELLOGG Delving into personal travails, baring inner realms, writing vignettes of travels and hitting the road, these are songwriter Stephen Kellogg’s forte. But he also doesn’t forget that creating music is about joy and making a connection. He broke into the hallowed halls of indie land with his fine band the Sixers and a few releases and many gigs ensued, leaving an indelible mark on those who found the music. Now Kellogg is back on the solo tip and working the byways with his new record, Blunderstone Rookery, slated for release in mid-June. He is an astute storyteller; crank the recent 10-minute song “Thanksgiving,” which is, lyrically, more a short story than a song, a rolling Dylan-inspired tale of Americana. And there are plenty more.

Samir Shukla