Coffeehouse rock

Local singer and songwriter Josh Funk jokes that he wants to train monkeys after graduating from Chico State. But for now, Funk just entertains people with his music, and, perhaps inadvertantly, with his sense of humor.

Don’t let the wisecracks fool you (making fun of his extremely thin physique, Funk refers to himself as “a human stick-figure playing love songs"), his often heartfelt songs portray life’s ups, downs and the ironies in between. The 23-year-old Chico native sings, plays the guitar and writes catchy lyrics in manner he describes as reminiscent of Weezer and Elliot Smith. Most of all, it seems he’s just having fun making music. “If it’s not fun, it’s not worth it,” Funk says.

Funk grew up listening to the Beach Boys, but he’s more recently influenced by the likes of emo-superstars The Get Up Kids—in addition to the aforementioned Smith and Weezer—and with his own emotionally delivered vocal stylings and love song themes you would definitely put him in that same slippery emo category.

“Even when I never have to/ can I still sing for you?” Funk sings to an anonymous crush on “I’m So Glad You Could Make It,” one of the tunes he’s working on for a new recording. As on his previous release—2004’s A Jukebox Envy—the emo sound Funk puts on record is a full electric version. For the last couple of years at least (his previous local bands include The Farewell Letter and brief stint in Isabell), Funk’s pattern is to produce a polished recording of his high-energy love songs, then take to local cafes and perform solo. The new stuff isn’t on disc yet, but you can hear it at upcoming Has Beans and Teaz Me shows. The six-song A Jukebox Envy is available on his Web site (www.joshfunk.com) for $8. Or you can stop by a local cafe and snag it for $5.