Songwriter to take seriously…poetic lyrics… expertly played acoustic guitar… Check him out now; he’ll restore your faith in the singer-songwriter genre. earvolution.com

 

 

 

Pinus has a strange and slow electronic freakout section in the middle of it which is more Red House Painters or American Analog Set than Elliott Smith…that hushed atmosphere in which his songs exist is at once both familiar and intricately unique…  shmat records - shmat.com

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Part Eliott Smith, part L. Cohen, as run through the production wringer of Daniel Ash…Kattenbraker’s baritone voice is pleasant and soothing. The guitar work sweet and mellow and, might I add, deftly played… Portland’s Music Liberation Project

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Throughout this self-titled album, he prods gently but insistently, persistently. The tension you feel during your first listen is his dusky but irrepressible voice loosening your mind and body... The strange, wispy sounds that occasionally permeate the soundscape... as in the excellent instrumental ["Finally"], help him to work you all over. He gets the low end. He gets the murky things. He hits all the important places...You'll listen a second time just to extend the feeling you got as you finished your first spin, and you'll listen a third time because there's a lot to love here.  splendidezine.com

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Each of the eight years since Jeff Buckley drowned in a Memphis river, Uncommon Ground has hosted an intimate tribute of his life and music. More than 200 musicians submitted demos, hoping to play at the latest show. [12] artists made the cut. Over the years, some have come from as far England, Italy and Denmark.
The tribute show's immense popularity is something of an anomaly--it has never been publicly advertised and there are only 80 seats for the two-night event. Through word of mouth, this year's event on Nov. 16 and 17 sold out in less than an hour.

The night became a celebration of all things Buckley; artists came from Washington D.C., Seattle, and a few blocks away on Western Avenue.
One person present only in spirit was Jeff Buckley's mother, Mary Guibert, who attended two Uncommon Ground tribute shows in previous years. She'd much rather maintain her distance, instead allowing her son's music to speak for her.
But she called the yearly show in this cozy coffeehouse steps from Wrigley Field "the gold standard" of tributes. Chicago Tribune

 

 

 

He played a Jeff Buckley tribute in Chicago and it’s Buckley that he often must turn to for inspiration. His voice is tender, almost sweet if you will, but never sounds contrite. Having played music ranging from jazz to math rock, he certainly has a slew of influences that he culls from but I dare say that underneath it all is a love of singer/songwriters who wear their hearts on their sleeves (think of Elliott Smith, Buckley, and Dylan). The subject matter throughout the album is very topical and deals with the essentials of life and all of its wonderful mysteries. All of it told through the bright expressive eyes of Steven Kattenbraker and his poetic lyrics that are so damn thoughtful you feel like he’s scratching your own brain. This album is highly recommended. smother.net