Folk music and history seem to go hand in hand. There are few musical traditions that attach themselves so seamlessly to the context within which they were conceived. To listen to good, authentic folk today is to aurally subject yourself to the rustic roots of a nation founded on blistered hands and aching feet. In any given song you can hear the tired sigh of a West Virginia coal miner, or the klack of an Oregon woodsman’s axe sharply splitting lumber. Most folk musicians tend to fragment into two partisans: passive reflectors or belligerent nationalists. But Madison-area native John Statz does the genre one better, juxtaposing a healthy knowledge of World War I with the experiences of modern life to uncover today’s truths by looking to the past. It’s no wonder the bright, young songwriter claimed 2007’s Madison Area Music Award (MAMA) for his debut Dusk Came Slow. And with Statz’s follow-up, Our Love Was Made for Canada, the dude proves he’s no one-trick pony. Acoustic guitar, violin, and banjo all layer cohesively to envelope the listener in a rich, roomy sound. While Statz’s style is firmly rooted in the tried-and-true folk of artists like James Taylor, more contemporary comparisons such as The Snake The Cross The Crown and Milwaukee’s own Decibully will no doubt come to mind. Following a few hometown record release shows, John will be making his way to the Acoustic Café on Oct. 2. To be anywhere else would be unconstitutional.

John Statz • Thursday, Oct. 2 • Acoustic Café, Eau Claire • 7pm • FREE • 832-9090 • www.myspace.com/johnstatz