A one-man divisive view of Joe Pug

Note: Photos by Aaron Facemire.

On one hand, I really enjoy his 2008 E.P., Nation of Heat. Yes, it has a big Dylan vibe, but the songs stood well on their own.

That's why, even a couple of days later, I'm still torn about Pug's performance at The Canopy Club in Urbana on Sunday. Yes, he was a competent performer, with a strangely compelling personality, and yes, he has the voice to be a good folk singer.


After seeing him live though, I have to think his whole is forced. Pug's voice does not sound (or, when he's singing, look) natural, and the songs seemed to lose something in concert. The three-chords-and-a-harmonica vibe works better on record, and even if the songs hold up, they have to be better than they are (the only exception to this was "Hymn #101," a stream-of-conscious song that he milked for all it was worth).

In fact, the best part of the show had to be the cover of Tom Waits' "Ol' 55" that he and a member of opening band Horse Feathers did. It seemed a bit sloppy, a bit unrehearsed, but at the same time it signaled he was not completely set in his ways. He was willing to branch out, take a little bit of a risk.

And that's exactly what Joe Pug will need to do if he wants to move forward: try new things. The three-chord folk song won't work forever (getting a harmonica in a different key will help that as well), there needs to be something more than that.

Oh, and stop listening to early Bob Dylan. That vibe was there way too much to be anything new and unique. Let your own personality, which is plenty unique, shine through.

Horse Feathers was less divisive for me. Their bluegrass/homespun vibe was really amped up in concert, even if they were battling a poor sound system and a crowd that seemed indifferent to their set (one member even commented on that towards the end of their set).

Still, their set was worth watching, as their songs evoked something along the lines of a campfire sing-a-long (with better songs than any campfire sing-a-long would yield). With the addition of a banjo, rudimentary percussion and, at one point, a handsaw, their music almost bordered on old-style gothic, but was saved from that with the voice of lead singer Jason Ringle.

Joe Pug: An old voice at a young age

Note: Photo courtesy of No Door Agency.

Joe Pug has a voice that sounds like he's 50. Thing is though, he isn't 50.

Pug, a Chicago transplant by way of Maryland, employs the gruff, weathered voice mainly heard in older blues and folk artists. He's in his 20s, but it suits his music.

Despite his age, he said that's just how it comes out.

"It's just been my most natural voice," Pug said. "When I open my mouth, that's how it comes out."

Pug, along with alt-country band Horse Feathers (check out their newest album House with No Name as well), and My Dear Alan Andrews, will be playing at The Canopy Club in Urbana on Sunday.

Pug in particular is getting a lot of attention, with write-ups in the Chicago Sun-Times and being featured on NPR's "Second Stage." Not bad for a singer who only started singing and performing a few years ago.

"I wrote and people responded to it, so I went with it," Pug said. "I sort of felt compelled to do it, like it was something I was supposed to do."

His music speaks well on its own. His 2008 debut EP, Nation of Heat, is a good introduction to his folk-influenced ways. Some of the lyrics come off as carefully-constructed, others as stream-of-conscious rambles.

And some meet somewhere in the middle, like standout track "Hymn #101." The song has a (cliche) Dylan-esque feel to it, but Dylan was never so clear-sounding.

Pug said that song came out of one afternoon, even though the contents of the song (which is certainly open to interpretation) had been brewing for some time.

"It just flowed and sounded right," Pug said. "I don't know if I can analyze it."

Later this year, Pug's full-length debut album will be coming out, and he said that some of the songs will feature more instrumentation (his EP is just him and a guitar), and some will just be him. It all depends on what the song calls for.

"It's a little less lonely with a band," Pug admits.

Until then though, he will be out on the road, and even though the economy isn't great, he is thrilled people are still showing up.

"For as much as everyone talks about how bad the economy is, there's a turnout at the shows I play," Pug said. "People will pay $10 for a show, they are still coming out and enjoying themselves."

Joe Pug, Horse Feathers and My Dear Alan Andrews will be at The Canopy Club, 708 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, Sunday, May 3 at 9 p.m. Tickets are $8 in advance.