October 12th, 2003
Chris Knight
The Jealous Kind
(Dualtone ***)

On "Me and This Road," Chris Knight contemplates life beyond his stifling small town, and the old country road that can't carry him far enough away. There are a lot of roads on the Kentuckian's third album, byways that lead to trouble, opportunity, and maybe a shot at redemption.

In a thematic sense, they're well-traveled, to be sure. Knight, however, largely steers clear of cliches. He spins taut narratives that build their power with plainspoken simplicity and - with ex-Georgia Satellite Dan Baird as coproducer - a brawny brand of acoustic-textured country-rock.