Guitarist Billy Iuso’s free-wheeling grooves have been running wild in the Crescent City streets for well over a decade, but only recently has this self-professed Dead Head and late night jammer begun to hit his stride as a songwriter. For his latest album, Naked, Iuso stepped away from his familiar funk-rock roots, opting to build each song from his guitar up before bringing them to the studio. When in the studio, committing to the song — as opposed to the solo — sharpened Iuso’s focus over the course of the 6-month writing and recording process. Longtime friend, veteran songsmith and fellow axeman Anders Osborne also played a key role in bringing the album to life, co-producing the disc as well as contributing to it lyrically and musically. In this episode of OffBeat’s Look-Ka Py-Py Podcase Iuso offers a deeper look into his new record, tells the story behind how Russell Batiste’s living room became his first home in New Orleans and delivers a live version of the song “Valerie.”