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Press Releases

Indie Rocker Bess Rogers Returns with New CD & U.S. Tour

September 27, 2011 | By SCPR
Pop/Punk/Folk Rocker Bess Rogers Returns With Full-Length Album,  ‘Out of the Ocean,’ October 4th

A Book About Prehistoric Fish and Microbes Sparks an Obsession With Evolution, as Rogers Finds Unlikely Inspiration

Major U.S. Tour Confirmed

Kickstarter Campaign Triples Goal

Acclaimed pop/punk/folk rocker Bess Rogers returns on October 4th with her second full-length album, ‘Out of the Ocean,’ and a major U.S. tour. The CD’s inspiration came from an unlikely source: a book entitled ‘Your Inner Fish,’ by Neil Shubin. Rogers comments: "The book is about our evolution from life as far back as pre-historic fish and microbes and how that has affected our bodies and our lives now. It really grabbed me and I found myself a bit obsessed. I started to look at everything we do in life as a product of evolution, and many of the songs on this record were inspired by that idea.” The stunning album is Rogers’ most diverse and accomplished to-date, and her fearless instrumentation, dynamic range and intelligent songwriting are evident as always. Highlights include the haunting mermaid ballad "In the Waves," the synth-laden robot love song "Math and Science," the album’s first single, “Anchor,” the propulsive pop-rock sing-along "Water and Dirt," and more.

The album was produced by Chris Kuffner (Ingrid Michaelson's ‘Girls and Boys’) and recorded partly in a Maine farmhouse studio owned by Sam Kassirer (producer of Josh Ritter and Erin McEown) and partly in Rogers’ home studio in Brooklyn. ‘Out Of The Ocean’ features a host of talented friends including Ingrid Michaelson, Allie Moss, Ian Axel, Saul Simon-MacWilliams, Elliot Jacobson and Dave Eggar (Train, Beyonce).  Artist Derek Gores did the CD’s beautiful collage cover art.  Rogers made a preview video featuring some of the people who contributed to the new record: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dszP4R4VLKI  

Brooklyn-based Bess Rogers has built a national following through her independent releases, her relentless touring as a headliner and as lead guitarist and backing vocalist for Ingrid Michaelson, and most recently as the singing voice of the nationally televised Mott’s For Tots advertising campaign with her song, “We Believe In You” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOqAL5uhmJE). Rogers has also had other compositions featured on television shows, such as Switched At Birth, One Tree Hill and Pretty Little Liars.

Rogers saw an incredible response to her Kickstarter campaign, due in no small part to the hilarious video she made about how to raise money to make a record: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NYJUPXT4PY. She aimed for $10k in funding and met that goal within 48 hours, and then doubled it within the first week! Ultimately, over 550 backers signed up and $26k was raised. Visit http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/838470061/bess-rogers- is-making-a-new-record

Now, thanks to the support of her fans, she looks ahead to ‘Out Of The Ocean.’ The first single, “Anchor” was released as a ‘digital 45’ in August, and featured a cover of The Beatles’ classic, “In My Life.”  Visit http://bessrogers.bandcamp.com to stream both tracks. In recent months Bess has shared the stage with Ari Hest, Lelia Broussard, Jay Brannan, Rachel Platten, Caleb Hawley and others, and completed a multi-city tour with Ian Axel and Allie Moss.

Bess Rogers ‘Out of the Ocean’ Tour: Wed, 09/21/11 The Red Room @ Cafe 939 Boston MA Sat, 09/24/11 Kekoka Music Festival Kilmarnock VA Thu, 10/06/11 Rockwood Music Hall New York NY Wed, 10/12/11 WonderRoot              Atlanta GA Thu, 10/13/11 Mockingbird Cafe           Tallahassee FL Fri, 10/14/11 EGAD! Art Lab              Melbourne FL  Sat, 10/15/11 Hideaway Cafe            St Petersburg FL Sun, 10/16/11 Natura Coffee & Tea              Orlando FL    Sat, 10/22/11 Martyrs                                     Chicago IL Sun, 10/23/11   Vaudeville Mews I                  Des Moines IA                                     Mon, 10/24/11 Café Paradiso                          Fairfield IL                                          Wed, 10/26/11 Derby City Espresso              Louisville KY Tue, 11/01/11 Fete Lounge                         Providence RI Wed, 11/02/11 Middle East Upstairs Cambridge MA Thu, 11/03/11 Skinny Pancake Burlington VT Fri, 11/04/11 Shaika Cafe                         Montreal QC Sun, 11/06/11 The B Side              Ann Arbor MI Mon, 11/07/11 Wilbert's                           Cleveland OH Tue, 11/08/11 Brothers Drake Columbus OH   Wed, 11/09/11 Point Park University              Pittsburgh PA Thu, 11/10/11 Stage On Herr                         Harrisburg PA Sat, 11/12/11 Carlisle Theater             Carlisle PA  

Last year saw the release of the critically acclaimed EP, ‘Bess Rogers Presents Bess Rogers,’ which earned consistent rave reviews – iTUNES Editorial called her “an arresting new talent.” See some samples of EP coverage, below:

iTUNES Editorial Review 11/10 Is Bess Rogers a folkie with punk instincts or an indie-rocker with an acoustic bent? Her EP Bess Rogers Presents Bess Rogers makes it hard to place her in a neat category — and that turns out to be a source of strength for this eclectic singer/songwriter. Rogers — a member of Ingrid Michaelson’s touring band — likes to surround her sweet lyric sentiments with a tough outer coating as she recounts tales of fumbled romance and fragile happiness. Her acute ear for pop hooks is evident in “Come Home” (matching a sunny chorus with a thumping beat) and “Favorite Day” (a hard-charging tune reminiscent of early Go-Go’s). More introspective are coffeehouse-style ballads like “What We Want” and “All In Good Fun.” Dan Romer (another Michaelson associate) gives these tracks a nicely layered production, emphasizing the playful, anything-can-happen spirit of Rogers’ songs. More than anything, there’s a sense here that Rogers is exploring her sonic palette as well as her personal feelings. It’s this freewheeling quality that makes the EP an engaging effort by an arresting new talent. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/bess-rogers-presents- bess/id385924079

Live appearance on The CW Network/WGN-TV http://www.wgntv.com/videobeta/?watchId=6289dda8-bf9b- 42ab-90d9-2a0d205d22d7;

Rogers also appeared on FOX-TV in Nashville, and was selected as one of PAPER MAGAZINE’s ‘NEXT BIG THINGS’. She was featured via AOL MUSIC’s ‘Free Music Tuesdays’ as well. Rogers won NYC Deli Magazine’s “Artist Of The Month” and came in second for Alternative Addition’s October “Next Big Thing.”  AbsolutePunk praised, “Her newest EP is certain to be her coming out party, a veritable call to arms to industry suits and those who give a damn.” The Boston Phoenix noted, “Bess Rogers was born to play music.” Rogers opened for Ingrid Michaelson in New York City and fan-captured video clips show her singing Def Leppard’s ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’, as well as beautiful versions of ‘Come Home’ and ‘What We Want’ from her EP: http://www.youtube.com/user/neverlandish11

ABSOLUTE PUNK http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1966082 By Gregory Robson



THE BOSTON PHOENIX http://thephoenix.com/Boston/Concerts/Artist/Bess-Rogers/

  CREATIVE LOAFING FEATURE Cover of Music Section.  By Jeff Hahne, 9/14/10 Bess Rogers teeters between solo career, handful of bands http://charlotte.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/bess_rogers_teet ers_between_solo_career_handful_of_bands/Content? oid=1045848

MEDLEYVILLE FEATURE By Chris Junior, 9/10 http://www.medleyville.us/2010/09/all_in_good_fun.html#more ALL IN GOOD FUN Bess Rogers talks EPs, Lilith Fair memories and more

ASBURY PARK PRESS Feature By KELLY-JANE COTTER September 3, 2010 http://www.app.com/article/20100903/ENT/9030318/THE- WORLD-ACCORDING-TO-BESS-ROGERS THE WORLD ACCORDING TO BESS ROGERS Singer-songwriter brings simplicity, organic quality to new EP

WILDY’S WORLD – Five Star CD review & ‘ARTIST OF THE MONTH’  9/10 by Wildy Haskell http://wildysworld.blogspot.com/2010/09/bess-rogers-bess- rogers-presents-bess.html



HARRISBURG PATRIOT NEWS Feature By Alexis Dow, 8/26/10 http://blog.pennlive.com/go/2010/08/bess_rogers_sweet_voice _blends.html



INDY LIVE MUSIC Q&A  By Erica Voetsch, 8/26/10 http://www.inlivemusic.com/Artistinterviews/BessRogersIntervi ew.html



BIRMINGHAM’S BLACK & WHITE – Alt Weekly – Best Bet Pick 9/10 http://www.bwcitypaper.com/Articles-i-2010-09-16- 237737.113121_The_Set_List.html

INDIE SOUNDS/HARRIS RADIO 8/23/10 http://indiesoundsny.typepad.com/indie_sounds_ny/2010/08/fi ve-minutes-with-bess-rogers.html#more

www.bessrogers.com

www.youtube.com/BessRogers

www.hubbubproductions.com

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