“Hey, do you guys like tender folk ballads?”

If you haven’t heard Joe Pug yet, consider this to be your lucky day. And if you have heard him, then it’s still your lucky day. The shaggy-haired, doe-eyed balladeer inevitably draws steady and apt comparison to one Bob Dylan, in the best possible way. But this is not simply imitation, nor is it tribute. Instead, Pug makes genuinely beautiful folk music full of intelligent, poetic lyrics, and it all completely stands on its own. His 2008 EP, Nation of Heat, is available for purchase here (and via digital outlets like eMusic and iTunes) and his debut full-length supposedly comes out sometime this year.

The above video follows Pug as he plays six shows in six hours in his hometown of Chicago. This whirlwind tour took place on April 7th in six different living rooms, and was primarily filmed and released as a means to promote Pug’s shows at Schubas Tavern on May 1st and 2nd (with Horse Feathers). The video serves not just as a promotion, however, but as a warm, down-home visual display of Pug’s talent and personality.

MP3s: