At times it is pertinent, even necessary, to separate an artist's past and present from his or her work. Although, there are some artists whose art is inseparable, a symbiotic relationship that is constantly being tapped into for a source of expression. You could call them folk singers, poets, or realists. In an interview with PopMatters, Joe Pug cites that out of the five main narrative themes, his favorite is the individual, "that being the only thing you can be sure of as real is yourself." Joe Pug's own narrative is worthy of exploration, and to be frank, a series of ballsy moves. Surely, these risks have paid off. Before a concert in Newport, Kentucky this past November, Pug's bassist, Matt, read "Style" by Bukowski. "To do a dangerous thing with style is what I call art," he writes.

Pug's pathway to gaining fans and recognition was a sharp move. After moving to Chicago on a strong impulse, leaving behind his senior year of college, he took a job as a carpenter and dedicated his journey to the muse. Neil Young writes about it well from his book Waging Heavy Peace, discussing..."loyalty to friends and loyalty to the muse, how sometimes there was conflict, where serving one meant not serving the other." And indeed, the "muse" was good to Pug. To promote his work, he felt inspired to share his creations with his fans, and sent out copies to anyone who requested his work. This move feels biblical, Christ-like, like one loaf of his music multiplies across the country.

That, my friends, is daring. It is artful, and packed with style. Pug's songs have an idiosyncratic sheen. His words don't hide behind a fancy series of acoustic chords, they have presence, and resonate with each phrase he turns. The lyrics are quality, often contradictory, lines like "before we met I knew we'd meet" and "when no one minds I've just arrived and I'll be leaving soon" discuss temporal and mundane occurrences from the perspective of a philosophical traveler.

David Ramirez, fellow folk-artist and Austin, TX dweller will be opening for Joe Pug tonight at the 9th Ward. Doors open at 7 p.m., music follows at 8 p.m. $14 at the door. See ya there.