What do they say about history? It makes us and molds us? Maybe it's a rough paraphrase but there is no truer example of history than Seattle's Graham Travis. The nostalgic sounds of the past are filtered through this resourceful, varied, up-and-coming songwriter and on to his debut record. Poptek Recs is proud to release this "classic" record, "Why Don't You Know Me Yet?"

"I was raised on music and fish sticks", remembers Travis. "My dad was a musician in the 70's and 80's. He taught me life lessons through the lyrics in songs. He sat me on his knee during band practices and had me sing Crosby, Stills, & Nash harmonies at neighborhood parties. Typical dad loves music sort of thing. That's how I acquired the taste and nostalgia." And the loves of his past definitely shine through on his debut recording. The Beatles had Lennon's piano. The Beach Boys had the elaborate harmonies, Neil Young has his guitar and his raw attitude. Travis has a bit of it all.

But don't mistake "classic" for derivative. "I think the diversity that I grew up respecting and loving has stuck with me and has definitely made its way into the music I write." Travis continues, "Why Don't You Know Me Yet? has a total personality disorder, but it's still me. I just write songs, all kinds of songs."

Also don't mistake "classic" for uninteresting. Travis explains, "I love songs that teeter between sanity and convention. Calculated risks are appreciated. Some people mix all types of stuff together in the name of risk and creativity. But when crap and obliviousness are your starting points, the end result just stinks any way you slice it. A good songwriter knows how a song is going to be heard."

While classifying him as a singer/songwriter, Travis is much more than an out-of-context poet with a guitar and a bad sense of melody. Travis writes songs, pop songs. Once the world hears "Tripped You Up", the chorus will bounce and dance in the listeners' ears for weeks, at least. Same with "So Wonderful". The pounding piano line reminisces of the innocence and catchiness of early 60's pop. Yes, Graham Travis writes intelligent lyrics of love, life, friendship, and humanity. But songs are more than text. And crafting a melody is the earmark of both pop music and Graham Travis.

Now that "Why Don't You Know Me Yet? has been released and his live performances have announced his arrival (sharing the stage with Rosie Thomas, Harvey Danger, Carbon Leaf, Lou Barlow, Brandi Carlisle, Feist, and United State of Electronica], Travis looks toward to the future. “I’ve had such a great time exploring performance art with my band and sharing the stage with some wonderful talents... but the truth is I’m most excited to sort through the boxes of paper scraps of half finished songs that have been piling up and put together another record that is just right.”