Greg V has played and toured with acts like Double Trouble and Buddy Miles. But that won’t prepare you for this album of instrumentals that contains more tasty, atmospheric guitars than you’re likely to hear in a couple hundred albums.

Greg plays guitars, baritone, lap steel, dobro, and mando guitar, and there’s not a lot of flash – just the occasional flurry of notes, but it doesn’t show up unless it adds something. More likely, you’ll hear the kind of parts you hear in the opener, “Rusting Soul.” The soaring steel leads into burning hot tasty electric soloing. Dobro darts in and out where needed. “Sunset to Moonrise” is one of those lazy (in the best way) scorchers with an array of sounds that’ll delight and confound you. In fact, this whole record has such a dense batch of noises you’ll find something new on every listen. In some ways, it’s reminiscent of Bill Frisell’s work, without the jazzy touches.

A good checkpoint for sound might be the only non-original on the record, a dazzling take on “Amazing Grace.” Greg’s version captures the soaring feel and sound that this song should have.

Chops-wise, Greg definitely has it; banjo rolls, two-and-three-string bends, and bends behind the neck are right on the money and add so much feel to the songs. Singer/songwriters would kill for a guy like this to come along. He’s got chops, but he’ll only give what the song calls for.