* Ellis Paul (at Bull Run Restaurant)

Quintessential New England singer-songwriter Ellis Paul helped to revitalize both the Boston/Cambridge and the national Folk scene in the 1990's. His urban, literate, folk rock style has the rare ability to take dead aim at a subject while avoiding the in-your-face approach of many of his contemporaries. The newest album, "Chasing Beauty" takes shots across the bow at some touchy subject matter and is as spectacularly stunning as any of his material has been over a 20-plus year career.

"I got a word machine in my head. It's a damn noisy contraption. Constantly running. No 'off' switch," says Ellis. After growing up on a potato farm in northern Maine, he began writing songs while attending Boston College on a track scholarship and was laid up for several months with an injury. He's often called the quintessential New England songwriter, and he's got a baker's dozen Boston Music Awards to prove it. Ellis's passionate, literate character sketches, delivered in a soaring, lyrical voice, have influenced a generation of folksters toward the shamelessly poetic. The Boston Globe calls him "literate, provocative, urbanely romantic." Whatever you call him, he's one of the major songwriters of our time. 

The new release, "Chasing Beauty," was produced by Kristian Bush of the country band Sugarland.

Absolute Punk, which you might not think would be reviewing Ellis's albums, says: "Everyone can relate to Ellis Paul and his songs, and for that reason he continues to be a national treasure."

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