"He's in the Townes Van Zandt, Merle Haggard, Randy Newman, Jimmy Webb mold when it comes to songwriting. It's what he does, and while he's a fine singer, guitarist, pianist, and, as it turns out, whistler, it's his songs that shine through with clarity, care, and thoughtfulness, each one a fully realized little gem, and it's no coincidence that his second studio album is simply called Songs. They're the stars here. Recorded with a sparse, open warmth".