Popskull refers to any poorly crafted homemade “likker” that elicits such a sense of misery the day after drinking that ones feels as if their skull will literally pop. It’s said that well-made moonshine, on the other hand, is akin to high art in the distilling cultures. Popskull & High Art is producer, arranger and writers Max Drake and Emily Edwards’ homage to not just the devil drink, but also the mountain culture from whence it sprang. The pair brought together an array of talented Piedmont musicians, the “mash for the still” as the creators put it, to lay down the spirit of this old trade in a distinctly folk format. The result is an intriguing chronicle of legends and tall tales with superb musicianship from all involved. Guitarist Matt Hill provides growling, snarling vocal work in the vein of the great Captain Beefheart on “Uncle Shine,” a warning about a man who’s still spits out the album title’s former. The line “Can take you straight to heaven/But the hangover purely hell” provides ample support for that assertion. Hill displays outstanding vocal range with the soaring gospel intonation of “Oh Shout” and a deft picker’s hand on “Banjo Terror.” Logie Meachum provides great classic blues vocal and guitar accoutrement on the traditional “Ain’t Nobody’s Fault But Mine” and “Moonshine is High Art.” It won’t leave you with devastating after-effects of Popskull, but really is a piece of High Art.