I can't believe March 5 is already upon us and that, if I chose to, in one week I would be able to walk into any Border's bookstore in the country and purchase my very own copy of Love & China. Theoretically. After ten years of making CDs, I've come to lower my expectations (expectations are premeditated resentments). In the past, we've been told by countless fans, "I looked everywhere for your CD and couldn't find it." The store clerk said, "the Eels? Ah, yes right over here." Or "No, we don't have that but we can certainly order it for you." Argh. No instant gratification there. And this time around, we have some stores that insisted on filing Love and China under "Nerissa" instead of "Nields." Annoying. Still none of this really matters. What matters is that after six months of a steady diet of these songs, these arrangements and these versions, we still really like to listen to it. And we have to listen to it a lot because it's Amelia's pacifier music. Could be worse. Could be Def Leppard. Other uses for this record: excellent and energizing for when you're tidying your room; impressive yet subtle background music for a dinner party; fits in nicely with many different CD's if you put it in your CD changer with anything from the Beatles to Beethoven to Mary Chapin Carpenter to Vanilla Fudge. (I made up the name of that last band. Is there such an entity?) Also: good for listening to if you are in love, and equally good for stretching out prone on the rug when your heart's been trod upon. And the songs are really pretty easy to play if you want to strum along. We're making a songbook which I hope will be ready to sell by the end of the month. But you probably don't need it. Most of these songs are straightforward first position three or four chord songs. Simple, like a log cabin, but they'll take good care of you and not get blown away.

We'll be touring a lot to promote the CD. Please come to our shows. I don't know about you, but I've been enjoying our shows recently. Katryna cracks me up. We're coming to the Midwest in the end of March because word is that's where it's AT, man. Big CD release parties closer to home at The Iron Horse in Northampton (4/13), The Fez in NYC (4/17 & 19) Boston area (Emerson Umbrella in Concord, 4/26), Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, NC (5/2), the Birchmere in Alexandria, VA (5/3) and The Sedgewick in Philly (5/11). Dates are being added constantly, so check out our web site for updates (www.nields.com).

Just have to say, I love the new Ben Folds CD. Also, spring is coming! Blessings, folks. As Victoria Williams says, You R Loved. (By us and lots of others.)

Nerissa & Katryna Nields

© 2002, reproduced with permission