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Among the many things you can say about long running local band Bones is it is pretty unique in this town.

First of all, it is a duo consisting of vocalist and upright/electric bassist Mike Miller, who started the punk blues project about a decade ago, and drummer Scott Campbell, who signed on a couple years ago. Second, while most groups croon about love and injustice, Bones populates its seedy lyrical world with frank tales of sex and the devil, like the Delta blues players who inspire them. “I have a 16-year-old’s fascination with words,” says Miller of his often shocking lyrics. “I’m interested in saying something and getting your attention and playing with it. It’s designed to make you crack a smile.”

Bones delivers on that in concert. Live, its music is stripped down to its namesake, funky rootsy, bluesy tales of delusional grandeur and down-in the-ditch depression.

Bones’ recent EP Disconnected (on local C Student Records and recorded at Fred Weaver’s venerable local studio, Apocalypse The Apocalypse) comes as close as ever to capturing the punch of this band on disc. 2002’s Who Stole Fun? is chock-full of studio tricks and density—a fun ride to be sure, but it doesn't cut close to the bone like this one does.