A former guitarist in Kurt Vile's Violators, Steve Gunn is nothing if not prolific.
Eyes On The Lines is his 14th album since 2007, an output at a pace that's matched by a relentless groove throughout this record, like a train on an endless track.
With a sound that marries the drug haze rock of the 60s with quiet contemporary folk and Americana, Gunn and band (instrumentation includes wurlitzer, banjo, harp, lap steel, dobro and flute) rumble through nine tracks with a hot summer's ease, punctuating the warm guitar work with lead breaks and elaborate beats, like the unconventional rhythm of the psychedelic single Conditions Wild.
Opening track Ancient Jules brings layer upon layer of guitar hooks, while Nature Driver, like many tracks, drives home Gunn's overarching theme of travel and movement with lyrics "There's a constant motion, makes you feel like the ocean," a sentiment that nicely sums up the aforementioned relentless groove.
Rating: 4/5 stars.
