CD REVIEW: Joe Pug "Messenger"

It is a bold statement to say that Joe Pug could be this generation's Bob Dylan, but after one listen to his debut full length album it is evident. He combines the elements of simple folk songwriting with raspy delivery and a bit of indie rock edge to showcase his originality, yet still remain within a familiar sound. The album's title track and lead single is a radio hit in the making, but not in the sense that everyone will be singing it and it will be in heavy rotation at pop radio. It's a hit in that it is timeless and could have been released in the 90's, the 70's or even the 60's and gained the same type of critical praise that it deserves. One of the most fantastic songs on the album is the closer, "Speak Plainly, Diana." It's a song that he decided to rev up and rerecord the song (it appeared as an acoustic track on his EP "Nation Of Heat") turning his incredible lyrics into a memorable folk rocker. The fact that Joe Pug is bold enough and talented enough to release this type of music and this album at a time when the music industry is struggling proves that his music is in a league of its own.