Kevin Bronson on January 9th, 2018

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When you think about it, there’s only a fine line between a square dance and a mosh pit. No, really.

Submitted for your approval: The first song on the debut album from violinist extraordinaire Philip Glenn. It’s a revved-up remake of the Ramones’ “Outsider” that’s not just for the barn dance set but, to use the vernacular, all y’all. It’s an interesting introduction to a musician whose background probably made him feel like an outsider from the git-go. In other words, you won’t find bluegrass circles teeming with Filipino American fiddlers reared in Southern California. Glenn, who did a deep dive into traditional American folk music while in college and eventually attended the prestigious Mark O’Connor String Camp, was a founding member of SoCal indie-folk quintet the Show Ponies (who are going their separate ways after a March tour) and has worked as a session player.

Glenn chose “Outsider” as the title of his debut album, which touches on blues and English balladry and — as if to emphasize that nothing is out of bounds for him — is bookended by a cover of Thelonius Monk’s stunning “Ask Me Now.” The album was recorded over a day and a half with a host of collaborators, including guest vocalists Natalie Nicoles and Jason Perry Stevens. “Outsider” was produced by Chris Schlarb (see also: Psychic Temple) and is out Friday as the first of four releases in Schlarb’s Big Ego Records Vinyl Subscription Series. (Leean Skoda’s “Call Me Back Home,” another in the series, is also out Friday.)

||| Stream: “June Apple / Outsider”

||| Live: Philip Glenn and Leann Skoda will celebrate their releases with an in-store performance at 7 p.m. Friday at Fingerprints in Long Beach.