Joe Pug appeared unexpectedly on the modern folk scene in 2007 with his striking debut Nation of Heat. The seven-song EP was beyond its years: Pug’s weary and wise voice carried the simple but amazing set of songs through tales of heartache, loss, and despair. Returning in 2010 with the Messenger and several hundred shows under his belt, Pug further cemented his position as a rising songwriter in the folk scene. His new record The Great Despiser came out on April 24, 2012.