Anthony D’Amato’s recommendation: “The first time I encountered Joe Pug was at the 2009 Newport Folk Festival. From where I was standing, I could hear him, but I couldn’t see him. He had these absolutely brilliant lyrics and this weary, grizzled voice. I was expecting someone Steve Earle’s age, so I couldn’t believe it when I found out he was only in his twenties. He writes with such clarity, such purpose. Nothing is wasted in a Joe Pug song. Each line is so packed with meaning that you discover something new every time you listen.”
New to The Joe Pug? Anthony recommends you start here: “The Nation of Heat EP is a fantastic introduction to Joe’s songwriting. It’s just him and an acoustic guitar/harmonica—as sparse as a production can get, but still somehow it has this expansive sound. You feel like you’re listening from inside his guitar or something. The songs just envelop you. You can listen to the whole thing for free on his website.”
MP3: The Sharpest Crown by Joe Pug
About our guest author, Anthony D’Amato: Before recording his self-produced album, Down Wires, Anthony D’Amato honed his songwriting skill with some of the most skilled teachers you can dream up. First he met with Paul Muldoon, the Pulitzer Prize winning poet to talk lyrics. Then he teamed up with Canadian rocker Sam Roberts (who wound up playing on the album). On the performance side, Anthony has opened for the likes of Marah and Jesse Malin and even shared the stage with Bruce Springsteen at a recent benefit show. The press is buzzing about Anthony and you can bet your last guitar pick that No Depression had it right when they said, “…the attention is indeed warranted…D’Amato seems to be on the fast track to a stellar career.” Check his MySpace page for more info on your new favorite singer/songwriter.
MP3: My Father’s Son by Anthony D’Amato