Exceptional lyricist and incomparable guitarist Thomas Johnson, the gravelly-voiced leader of Thomas and the People, is an explorer and a soul-searcher whose sound veers between the lo-fi folk of Iron and Wine and the homespun blues of Ben Harper. As the title of his recently released LP suggests, Beneath the Trees is an earthy, organic endeavor that finds the gifted, young musician discovering his roots. It, and ultimately Johnson’s biggest struggle, is establishing a balance between explosiveness and introspection.

Early on, instrumental clutter overshadows “Dancer”’s hushed vocals and emotional lyrics. Later, “Lacombe”’s melancholy overtones erode the disc’s momentum. Elsewhere, the sudden shift between the bedroom ballad “See the Age” and the barroom boogie “What Will It Matter” occludes the vibe altogether. Still, elements such as “Lovely”’s raw, spontaneous energy and “Quarter Skyline”’s subdued simplicity minimize these missteps. The achingly poignant “Minnesota,” an intimate, acoustic sing-along adorned with moving, multi-tracked guitars, brings out the beauty in Johnson’s bruised poetry. A set standout, the sultry, soulful jam “Dauphine,” which depicts the allure of busking in the Big Easy, best showcases the 28-year-old axeman’s string work. When he lights into a sizzling slide solo, the song soars. Though the ground may be uneven between the playful strums of “Please” and the tranquil chords of “You Never Move,” there’s plenty of shade Beneath the Trees.

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