Listening to Peter Katz’s own press directs you down the wrong trail, and will lead you to summarily dismiss him in the process. Sure, Katz’s story is a great one, but in the end, comparisons will inevitably be made and you’ll miss his tender tenor.

Allow me to explain: Katz is a Canadian singer/songwriter who attended a Damien Rice show where The Frames opened up some years ago. An awkward after-concert encounter led to Glen Hansard inviting Katz backstage to meet both artists, resulting in an invitation for drinks post-show. That evening, Katz says, cemented his future as a singer/songwriter (and friend of Hansard).

Fast forward to the present, a time where Katz’s latest long player, The First of the Last to Know, features his now-friend Hansard adding backing vocals (along with the impressive Melissa McClelland). Given the set-up, you’ll be tempted to think Katz holds the same emotional ferocity and grit as his musical heroes. To that end, Katz fails to deliver.

Yet that’s also unfair, since Katz is impressive in his own right. His meandering acoustic style doesn’t languish, but instead slowly entices the listener with personal stories and anecdotes. “We’re all here to go somewhere with you,” he sings on album opener ‘Son,’ and a few listens in, those words become the answer to Katz’s musical invitation within.

The title track serves as the undisputed highlight. It’s also the track featuring Hansard. The straightforward acoustic delivery follows typical melodic conventions, yet the sincerity in Katz’s vocal makes his declaration of independence within the song entirely believable. It’s allowed to simmer at just over five-minutes, giving an infectious song extended life with which to bury itself in your memory.

‘Carried Away’ finds Caroline Brooks adding an intertwining vocal and the effect is arresting. ‘Let Me Go’ follows an acoustic/piano front line, and both instruments in tandem buoy the overall mix. In between, the material becomes a bit too familiar and Katz loses the listener at times. The First of the Last to Know still impresses on the strength of the standout tracks and Peter Katz merits mention of his own, regardless of his connections.