Photo courtesy of Karo Cantu
Stephen spent the early years of his music career deeply involved in the Austin TX music scene while also frequently touring and performing at festivals around the country. Following a return to his hometown of Houston, TX and the release of Birthday Club’s debut EP, Wells and his live band embarked on several national tours, including appearances at major festivals like SXSW Official, In-Bloom & Savannah Stopover.
The buzz generated by these early efforts caught the attention of NPR's Arts & Letters Radio, which then commissioned the project for the creation of two original scoring productions. These musical productions would serve as the initial catalyst for the writing and recording process of Birthday Club's debut full-length album, "Obscure Emotion."
Inspired by the musical themes explored in these commissions, Stephen quickly enlisted the help of several friends to experiment and capture the rhythmic foundations of what would become the final album. These recording sessions took place in a small house overlooking the crystal blue waters of Canyon Lake, near Austin, TX.
Working outside the pressures and time limitations of a typical studio environment, Stephen had the freedom to spend the next several months writing, recording and intricately producing the remaining elements of the album in his studio space in Houston, TX while also finding inspiration through field recording sessions around the city. These found sounds weave intricately through the filtered fabric of the album, contrasted by an expansive sense of nature, captured during the Canyon Lake sessions. The result is a unique blend of endlessly evolving textures, introspective lyrics and an explosive cacophony of layered guitars and vintage synthesizers.
"A force to be reckoned with." - Consequence of Sound
BIRTHDAY CLUB
“Drawing upon swatches of psychedelia and New Wave, Houston’s Birthday Club crafts eclectic pop tunes awash in faint allusions to L.A.’s mid-Eighties Paisley Underground. Guitarist/vocalist Stephen Wells cuts a commanding center stage persona on souped-up summer blasts” - ”