Guitarist Mike Baggetta teams up with renowned rock drummer Jim Keltner (Harrison, Dylan, Frisell) and equally legendary punk bassman Mike Watt (Minutemen, Stooges) for the trio’s second album. As one might expect given their pedigree, this rhythm section is locked, allowing Baggetta to explore myriad styles and tones ranging from the Morricone-flavored sauce of the opening title track to the laid-back “This is Not a Euphemism,” to the urgency of the near-epic “Yank It Out” and the shimmery atmospherics of “In the Center.”

Watt and Keltner are mostly in tugboat mode, letting the guitarist do his thing, even taking five on the aforementioned “Center,” the cinematic “Not Enough Of Time,” and the acoustic-driven “Measure Of A Life Intro.” Which is not to say this is a collection of improvisational flights. “Fake Break,” for example, with its layered guitars and varying textures, would well fit on a late-period Wilco album, perhaps not surprising given Baggetta’s collaborations with Nels Cline

This trio began when Baggetta cold-called Keltner and Watt, both of whom he admired as a young player. On paper they seem like strange bedfellows, but as a trio they prove that worthy endeavors can result from long shots.

This article originally appeared in VG’s March 2023 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.