Shogren, J
Bird Bones & Muscle
On his new album, Bird Bones & Muscle, J Shogren describes his music as "pulp Americana" - a singular conjuring of gut-bucket blues, deep-fried southern jive, Holy Ghost revival, polka night at the Grange, she-done-me-wrong hillbilly boogie with backwater bayou bump and swing. But instead of ghosting over sepia-toned museum pieces, Shogrens music radiates a gritty immediacy, a stick-to-your-ribs soul that comes from a close understanding of the nooks and crannies of "weird old America." Recalling everything from Dylan to Dr. John, Buck Owens to Tom Waits, Shogren shrugs and simply explains, "No veneer; Just a coat of varnish to keep out the weather."