BRAD CREEL, JASON FELLMAN (Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Gifted with the pen, the punchline and the guitar, local singer-songwriter Brad Creel celebrates the release of his latest recording, Reveeled, tonight. In addition to his illustration work, Creel’s husky-voiced folk ballads harkens back to a time when folk music had plenty of strumming jesters eager to tell a tale and collect some laughs along the way. Similar to the early days of Loudon Wainwright III, Creel is a vulnerable performer with a deep sense of humor, one who isn’t afraid to turn the spotlight on his own imperfections—as he points out on “What We Ain’t”: “I can’t write like Richard Thompson/I can’t dance like Michael Jackson.” I’ve never seen Thompson dance, but as someone who has read more than a fair share of MJ lyrics, let’s just say it’s a good thing it isn’t the other way around. EAC

MP3:
Brad Creel - What We Ain’t