James Mathus, Jas Mathus, Jimbo “Hambone” Mathus, and Jimbo Mathus. Take your pick. Thankfully, the last name is consistent as Mathus apparently likes his nicknames, though, on some level it adds to the charm of his being some sort of errant Southern troubadour cloaked in fond memories of the dimming past of last century.

Old School Hot Wings sees him paired up with Knockdown South delivering a warm and intimate performance that mixes traditional numbers with covers and a handful of originals. There is nothing ground breaking about this album but the warmth that Mathus and his band imbue the songs with make it a worthwhile listen. The opener, “Voice of a Pork Chop”, is a lively toe-tapper that never fails to get me humming and my stomach rumbling though it is tempered by the stinging rebuke of “Wouldn’t Treat a Dog”, which rounds out the back half and leaves the listener wondering how much of the song is directed at his ex-wife.

If you’re looking for music to pair with some sipping whiskey or something that conjurs up humid nights sprawled on the front steps then Old School Hot Wings is the perfect choice. Head over to his Myspace page to stream and download three songs from this album. Highly recommended.