The most dramatic pugnacious songwriter thrown down by the Americana scene, Chris Knight's 10-year song stockpile deftly maps an underbelly of poverty, violence, murder and death. On Heart Of Stone, Knight backs off the body count for a (slightly) tempered, sympathetic view of his characters' struggles. "Maria", wherein a repentant ex-con returns home full of hope, a typically shimmers amid zigszgging guitars and a buoyant vocal. Nevertheless, the most powerful songs here ("Crooked Road", "Danville", ranging from raw, raging rockers to gentle balladry, reflect an obsession in finding a moral centre in an increasingly sordid world.
-- Luke Torn / Uncut (UK)