Joe Pug - Hymn #101Album: Nation of Heat EP [2007]
while most singer/songwriters are content to warble out a few semi-clever turns of phrase, pug's scorching poetry and soulful, 'every phrase could be my last' voice will stop you cold. a maryland native whose songs offer an updated version of the country-folk archetypes that bob dylan made famous, joe pug began playing guitar when he was in grade school. pug formed his first band on a dare from his sixth-grade science teacher, who didn't believe pug and his friends would be able to pull something together in time to appear at a school dance. the boys were able to deliver a presentable version of a tune from the first foo fighters album, and pug was on his way. though he's an up-and-coming artist on the singer/songwriter scene, joe pug sounds like an old soul. it may have something to do with the fact that he's working an old-school sound - playing it straight-ahead without much further instrumentation, and lyrics that are full of perfectly poetic imagery. this track is a fine example, featuring nothing but pug accompanying himself on acoustic guitar. it's more than weighty enough with the lyrics alone so there's never a feeling of empty space. full of ambition and emotional accessibility, it's song that you'll fall in love with if you're alone and feeling reflective.
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