Traveler

Combining the traditional sounds of his native Appalachian mountains with more contemporary folk and pop elements, Andrew McKnight is a distinct and refreshing voice of life-affirming optimism and pointed social criticism. There is a certain tangible honesty, almost vulnerability, in the country-folk nostalgia of "Still Home to Me," "Demon Named Loneliness," and "You Used to Know," though McKnight doesn't allow himself to fall into self-important reflections like so many contemporary folk songwriters. Employing drums and bass with the occasional mandolin, banjo, and fiddle, in addition to his own excellent guitar playing and expressive tenor, McKnight creates pleasantly energetic music and pensive quiet ballads. Possibly most impressive is McKnight's criticism of the corporate world in "Magnolia Tree," dishonesty in politics in the infectious folk-rock of "Election Day," and the displacement of Native Americans and mountaineers in "Gatlinburg." All in all, his sound is lively, his tunes hummable, his lyrics thoughtful, and his debut, very enjoyable.