A keen listener and conversationalist, Joe Armstrong can be laugh-out-loud funny, but he’s

dead serious about the music and social commentary reflected in his 2024 release Burn It

Down. In the spirit of Neil Young, Armstrong is equally comfortable entertaining a loud,

sweaty rock and roll audience with fist-raising anthems as he is laying bare the beautiful

vulnerability of the human experience with hushed acoustic guitars, catchy melodies, and

clever songcraft. Since relocating from his native Chicago to Los Angeles he has released

three albums, toured the world as a technician with a top-tier Emo band, and launched a

podcast showcasing fellow independent musicians called Independent’s Day, on which

he has hosted wide-ranging conversations with artists like Phoebe Bridgers, Sean Watkins

of Nickel Creek, Freedy Johnston, Dustbowl Revival, Steve Dawson of Dolly Varden,

Calexico co-founder John Convertino, Robbie Fulks, Hem, Mark Spencer of Son Volt,

Elizabeth Goodfellow of Iron and Wine, and many others. He has also worked the better

part of a decade in political media, giving him an inside perspective on our turbulent and

divisive times. Burn It Down is a logical and passionate evolution of those experiences that

leans on valuing uncomfortable reality over convenient illusions. “There is a dearth of

empathy in our society,” says Armstrong, “and Burn It Down serves as a call-to-arms in a

raging fight to stand up and make our voices heard and advocate for decency and

democracy," as well as a warning to those who would prefer to forsake our humanity and

the progress we've made towards a more equitable future.