so, mr joe pug just released his second full length record, the great despiser, in fact it was just released last tuesday. i have been listening to non-stop since, and while other pug stuff had been good throughout, the great despiser is everything i knew he could create. a solid record, front to back, and shit this is only his second record. i can only imagine what he’s gonna be putting out when he’s put of 4 or 5 records? this dude is the real deal, which i have been saying for a while now, and should be getting all sorts of press, but sadly i havent seen too much. either way, the great despiser should definitely be on the top of your list to listen to, or at least top 5. definitely top 10 material. oh, and he worked with one of my favorite producers, brian deck who was in red red meat, and has worked with califone and isaac brock’s ugly cassanova.
you can grab a free sample of some of his other stuff down there, including one of my favorite songs of the past few years “not so sure.” you can buy the great despiser via his site or amazon or itunes or your local record shop, im assuming.
top of the morning. i have been re-emerging myself into joe pug’smessenger as of late, and i have come to the conclusion that its much more solid than i initially thought it was. i never did a favorite songs of 2010, but his “not so sure” was just behind newsom’s “good intentions paving company” as my two favorites of the year. anyway, here he is playing at the cactus club in austin on 11.6.10. you can grab the flac version here and much love to aaron, the original taper – its a soundboard btw. you can still grab his in the meantime ep for free via his site, link up there, and i cannot recommend it enough. all you have to do is give him an email address and its yours. you can also buy messenger there too, again recommended.
i know ive probably posted this before, but i felt it needed revisiting. while i think pug’s the messenger is kind of hit or miss, definitely more hit than miss, this song is makes up for any miss on said record. lyrically its one of the best ive heard in a long long time, especially “i bummed expensive cigarettes, i wrote john steinbeck’s books, i undressed someones daughter then complained about her looks.” that last line hits me especially hard for some reason, mainly cause i, at one time, was probably guilty of it. in fact i know i was….
before i get out of here, this just popped up in the ol inbox. this being joe pug’s “bury me far from my uniform” which he is giving away in honour of memorial day. below you’ll find joe performing said song for my old kentucky blog’s laudro matinee. here’s what joe had to say about the song…
“Often songs are difficult to write but, once written, easy to release,” explains Pug. “That was certainly not the case with ‘Bury Me Far (From My Uniform).’ The song nearly wrote itself and yet I released it with great reluctance. There is a certain reverence that any decent person affords soldiers and their sacrifices. I was, and remain still, troubled that this song might violate that decency. Having never served myself I’m not always sure whether it is inspiring or insulting. I’ve certainly gotten my fair share of both reactions. In the end, the song stands on its own, and the distinction is yours to make.”
I was fallen dead in battle,
must have been Tuesday,
I don’t know the date.
I gave everything everyone asked for,
But I say where I’ll be laid.
The many dead of my comrades,
All look the same in this place.
Won’t you bury me far from my uniform,
So God might remember my face.
Do not bother with Congress,
With the rich,
Or with the rest.
I fought their battles in this world,
But I will not fight for them in the next.
Do not find me justice,
Just find me a grave.
And then bury me far from my uniform,
So that God might remember my face.
Oh my mother,
You’ll weep and you’ll crumble,
Take me out of your dreams that I’m in.
I can’t take another what’s not,
I’m sick to hear what could have been.
I’ll not return to your table,
So don’t save me a place.
Just bury me far from my uniform,
So God might remember my face
I’m not a cause, not a Christ, not a ransom.
I’m not a reason, I’m not a debate.
And I swear that I’m no one’s example.
I’m not a number,
I’m not a crusade.
War is older than mankind,
But it’s younger than grace.
Won’t you bury me far from my uniform?
From the iron cross medals I would have worn.
From the statues that sisters and widows mourn.
From the newspaper clippings and microform,
From Geneva, the Hague and Nuremberg
From the sex of this world that I’ll no longer taste.
Won’t you bury me far from my uniform?
So God might remember my face.
I know God will remember my face.
Merciful God, please remember my face.
Posted by doubter on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010
hey, joe pug has a new recording come out in the middle of this month on the 16th which he has chosen to call, messenger. his free and most excellent, in the meantime ep, has been in heavy rotation the past few weeks, and i gotta admit that i was wrong to not include “in the meantime” on my list of favorite songs that didnt appear in my top ten – you can read about them here. again, messenger comes out on 2.16 via lightning rod records and check below for the tour dates and of fucking course theres no new orleans date….
up until about 24 hours joe pug was just a name i had been reading about by some folks i, for the most part, trust – namely here, here and here. so, it is with great delight that i report that i have actually put music to a name. since yesterday, i have listened to his free in the meantime ep quite a few times. yeah, its pretty damn spectacular. ive put my faith in a few like mr pug in my lifetime, and to be honest ive been burned a few times. yeah, im looking at you michael mcdermott and mark curry! i know i should have known better. this kid from chicago via a few other places seems to be the real deal. sometimes you just cant fake the funk and i got a good feeling about him and his john hiatt sounding self. like i said earlier, you can grab his in the meantime ep for free, while he finishes his new record, via his site, and i stand by you wont download a better free record/ep/whatever this year.
i believe i read that he was going on tour with strand of oaks, but you may want to check his site to double check that statement. i would but for some reason his site isnt loading for me.
here’s a nice recording taken from the arts center in carrboro, nc on 6.10. thanks to nchell, the taper, for the recording. you can grab it fabulous flac, here.
hailing from the city of brotherly love, philadelphia, pa the miners recently released their 6 song ep, miners rebellion. one thing i really dig about this ep and these guys is that they arent trying to be anything they arent. they’re great musicians, writing great songs, no gimmicky bullshit and sometimes thats absolutely everything you [...]
