Charles Heidinger and Joe Pugg
Mark Charles Heidinger’s recommendation: “Joe Pug stops me in my tracks. There aren’t many things I can say about his music or his spirit that aren’t abundantly clear the first time you listen to Hymn #101 (clip below) from his first EP, Nation Of Heat. Joe happens to be a friend, which makes the task of writing about him a great deal harder, getting too syrupy about a buddy and all… Anyway, Rosie and I had the pleasure of touring with Mr. Pug and his Hundred Mile Band last fall, and while we were familiar with his music before said run, we honestly weren’t prepared for the dozen-night heart pummeling that followed. I’ve been trying to pick a few lyrics from Hymn 101 to share here, a glimpse, a sample, something to whet the appetite. But every line is so damn poetic I feel slightly irresponsible pulling any one chunk out of context… I’ll just get on with it, for brevity’s sake if nothing else…
And I’ve come to meet the legendary takers
I’ve only come to ask them for a lot
Oh they say I come with less than I should rightfully possess
I say the more I buy the more I’m bought
And the more I’m bought the less I cost
I read an interview of Joe’s a while back where he mentioned spending a great deal of time playing with words to see which ones sound nice together. It certainly shows, ’cause they all sound very nice together. And the sum is simply arresting. I’ve caught wind that he’s working on a new record this year. I know it’s early, but I know exactly what I want for Christmas.”
MP3: Hymn #101 by Joe Pug from Nation Of Heat
About our guest author, Mark Charles Heidinger: Mark is the frontman and songwriter for Vandaveer, a band whose lineup changes from studio to stage (although Rose Guerin has been a constant in many of the recent press photos). Vandaveer caught tons of buzz when they shared the bill with both Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver and their credibility continues to rise with the release of their latest album Dig Down Deep which was produced by Duane Lundy (Jim James, These United States). There’s been a gush of good press for Vandaveer, including praise from Q Magazine which said that Mark “…mixes French chanson with folk and sounds like an updated Leonard Cohen.” Be sure to check The Vandaveer site to see when they are playing live near you.
MP3: Concerning Past and Future Conquests by Vandaveer
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 
About our guest author, Anthony D’Amato: Before recording his self-produced album, 