With his unruly red beard and banjo in tow, you may mistake breakout Philadelphia-native Joshua Marcus for his doppelganger, indie-folk wonder Sam Beam. Although both musicians incorporate honest lyrics and southern influences into their sound, the similarity stops there. Marcus’ simple melodies are arranged around the raw power of his voice. He is able to express his passion and tell whole stories through different intonations. This ability gives his songs a certain intimacy like a warm Appalachian summer sitting on your back porch sipping a Bud while watching a buddy sing his life into the night. With his recent release, Reverse the Charges, Marcus traveled across the country, stopping in different states to record his experiences with ultimately over four-dozen fellow musicians. The effect is a sound of overlapping lives that ultimately become one American voice.  Experience a different world for an hour or two and stop by Johnny Brenda’s tonight. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ myspace.com/joshuamarcus (Photo by Chris Poppe) - Katie Bennett