An American Soundtrack

    Last weekend I attended a Styx concert with some friends.  Held at a county fair in Wisconsin,  yards from prized pigs and hens waiting to be judged, I couldn't help but think what is more USA than this.
    Of course there was a lot of ridiculously fun 70's moments, power stances and rotating keyboards were used liberally. What I found odd was that I can't think of any band in modern pop culture that I can say represents America. 
    I didn't have to look through my iPod before the name popped into my head: Joe Pug.  He has a similar quality to Styx; he is inexplicably yet undeniably American.  He only has two EP's out but on his first, the song Nation Of Heat seems to reflect his
views and his ideas of America so well.
     Not only is his music catchy, but the lyrics are great.  I really don't want to explicate lyrics for you, so I will just list off some lines that really spoke to me.

"I cook my dinner on the blacktop street, I come from the nation of heat"
"We got the loudest explosions you ever heard.  We got two dollar soldiers and ten dollar words."
"If I didn't own boots I wouldn't need feet, I come from the nation of heat." 
"So swift and so vicious are the carnival rides, and the carnival barker yell your name for a bribe."
"We got billboards for love and Japanese cars.  It ain't rare to hear the street lights call themselves stars.  The more that I learn, The more that I cheat.  I come from the nation of heat."
"Blacken borders with smiles, our immigrant sons, we measure loneliness in miles and misery in tons.  There's a straw-hatted man rowin' away from the shore, who says its a shame they don't let you have slaves here anymore."
 
   On top of his very American lyrics tunes, he represents a new culture in America.  He's one of those new artists who has gained a following on the "myface."  The fan created music video below really sums up not just the Patriotism behind his music, but also the new America that he represents.



    I'm a big believer that one can never fully appreciate a song unless heard three times, so don't be afraid to replay the video.  If you like his music I can assure you that all his songs are this good.  Just ask for a copy of his EP in class and I will be more than happy to burn it.