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Hamell on Trial performs "Inquiring Minds"

Hamell on Trial might offend you, but chances are you won’t mind. Inspired by Bill Hicks, Lou Reed, and Johnny Cash, solo artist Ed Hamell produces a musically-aggressive silliness you don’t hear very often. The name of his latest release in 2006, Songs for Parents Who Enjoy Drugs, speaks for itself. On his worn, 1937 small-body Gibson guitar, Hamell on Trial gives it straight to the listener yet never loses his comedic sensibility. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Hamell, who has toured with Ani DiFranco and released his latest with Righteous Babe Records, happens to be pissed about a few things. His bold concerns on education, health care, and corporate demons are channeled through his music, spoken word commentaries, and personal memories, which may sound lighthearted but contain a serious underlying message. Hamell lets people know that they may not be the only ones wondering if this is all “a psychotic episode or a cleansing moment of clarity.” Songs for Parents Who Enjoy Drugs is a sound collection of dance folk, surf fun, and acoustic punk, making it hard to classify into a single category, which is exactly what Hamell strives against. He takes raw acoustic vocals and manifests them through a narrative lyrical dance, wrapped up with a bow of comic relief. The song “Coulter’s Snatch,” for instance, is exactly what one would think it’s about. After all, confronting societal realities can be overwhelming, so why not do it while laughing?

Wednesday, April 25 at 8pm. Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. (886-8539) www.nietzsches.com