Nels Cline is one of the most impressive guitarists around, yet somehow he seems to stream under the radar. This is despite his work in the popular rock outfit Wilco, as well as collaborations with musicians such as Mike Watt and harpist Zeena Parkins.
On his latest release, the improviser starts off with a heavy drone piece, making things unpredictable from the get-go. The album is scattered with many different influences, some more recognizable than others. “Thurston County” is an obvious tribute to another of Cline’s collaborators, Thurston Moore.
Trickling electronic effects are scattered throughout, while classical-influenced guitar strumming whisks over the beeps and blips like cosmic adult contemporary. Some of the guitar work is spastic, with Cline performing dual solos simultaneously. Still, the album keeps a steady pace throughout, which must be a difficult feat for such an adventurous instrumentalist.
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