Reviews

Pug Johnson El Cabron

Posted by on April 1, 2025 at 4:51 pm

By Brian Rock

Country artist Pug Johnson is a rising star from the Lone Star State. Following up on the critical success of his 2022 debut, Throwed Off and Glad, he continues to impress on his sophomore release, El Cabron. Hailing from the Texas gulf coast town of Beaumont, Johnson has long marinated in the regional, musical flavors of Texas, New Orleans, and Mexico. Combining those influences, Johnson creates a musical smorgasbord with no less than nine different americana subgenres on this eleven track album. Each song is a delicacy.

The centerpiece of the album is the title song. Capturing the laid-back ambience of cult classic, “Where There’s a Willie,” by fellow Texan, Jack Ingram; “El Cabron,” recounts a booze fueled escapade south of the border. Singing, “I got a thing for them Singapore Slings, but I’m trading them in for Patron,” Johnson sets his sights on a change of scenery. A multicultural blend of pedal steel, trumpet, and electric organ help transport Johnson to a Mexican villa, where; “The fellas they say, I’m always in the way. Pero las senoras me llaman el cabron.” Bragging that the ladies call him “el cabron,” the cocksure narrator is unaware what that means. Turns out, the phrase “el cabron,” is a Mexican idiom that translates roughly as “bastard,” “dumbass,” or “doofus.”

Johnson recounts the chaotic, and occasionally comic, misadventures of his el cabron character as he stumbles awkwardly through life. “Last Call,” is a Tex-Mex flavored honky-tonk that proffers some of the worst (and funniest) pick up lines ever recorded. Against a lively, Mexicali two-step rhythm, Johnson asks, “Would it be indecent to ask you how recent you’ve let someone new take you home?” With just a touch of twang, Johnson’s voice is part Clint Black and part Kevin Fowler. With a rootsy, down-home flair, he weaves “hold my beer” stories of braggadocio and “why me” stories of heartbreak. “Buy Me A Bayou,” is a catchy Cajun daydream of what he would do if he won the lottery. The lively rhythms capture the playful spirit of Joe Nichols’ “What’s A Guy Gotta Do?”. Back to reality on, “Big Trains,” Johnson incorporates Dixieland rhythms to salute the life of rail workers. He gives a blistering, barrelhouse blues rendition of Moon Mullican’s inuendo filled, “Pipeliner Blues.” Johnson brings back the Tex-Mex rhythms and the humor to declare his independence (and pay his penance) on, “Thanks to the Cathouse.” Whatever mistakes he makes along the way, Johnson as el cabron is confident they can all be chalked up to, “Time Well Wasted.” The greasy, barroom Blues of the song provides a steady backbeat to counter his emotional imbalance as he sings, “Now there may come a day when your love walks away. So love while it’s good. If you’re misunderstood, at least you’ll get to say you were time well wasted.” When that moment finally arrives, Johnson invokes classic country tones to deal with the fallout on, “Waxahachie.” Tired of his shenanigans, his lover “left a blue ribbon zero for a red-headed hero.” He dives deeper into the country blues on, “Hole in Me.” Finally seeing the light, Johnson resolves to, “Change Myself Today.” The haunting bluegrass-tinged ballad finds Johson deciding, “I’m gonna stand a little taller, gonna be a better man. Gonna tear town these old walls and build ‘em up again.” Realizing the flaws of his el cabron lifestyle, Johnson makes the decision to be better. Being a better person soon attracts better outcomes. On the sultry country/soul of “Believer,” Johnson finally finds the right partner. Singing, “You made me a believer, and you made me more than I could be,” Johnson gives credit to his lover for the newfound joy in his life. But it was his decision to be better that attracted her in the first place.

Like most of us, Johnson’s El Cabron stumbles through life never fully realizing the damage he is doing to others and himself. It takes a drop to rock bottom to inspire a moment of self-reflection. But once he focuses on being better, his life follows suit. It’s a story that’s been told many times before, but seldom with such charm and wit.


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Brian Rock

Brian Rock

Brian was raised gypsy style, moving every other year until well after college. As friendships proved to be temporary, Brian found a constant companion in music, wearing the grooves off Beatles and Dylan albums before moving on to Lyle Lovett and Dwight Yokam. Living so often in flux, he has come to value music and lyrics of lasting quality. Not moved by trends or fashion, he is drawn to timeless lyrics and soulful rhythms. Although now settled down, Brian still expresses his gypsy spirit through his writing. He has co-written songs with musician friends he’s met along the way, including several contributions to the 2012 ICMA Album of the Year, Family Album. Brian also writes children’s books and poems, including the Children’s Book Council featured title, The Deductive Detective.
Brian Rock

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