You know an album is promising when its sidemen include Buck Owens pedal-steeler Jay Dee Maness and Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band drummer James Gadson. Tony Gilkyson delivers on that promise.

Not surprisingly, the former guitarist of retro-country Lone Justice and punk-rock X cuts an eclectic swath on this outing of original instrumentals. But this is no don’t-know-what-you’ll-get box of chocolates, thanks in part to the way Gilkyson cross-pollinates.

Chicken-pickin’ meets ’70s funk in “I’m Waitin’ On You,” snaky bends weave atop clip-clop horse’s hooves in “Walking With Lucy,” “Zanak Panak” is a theme for a sci-fi film that doesn’t exist, and “Slippery John” adds multi-string bends to a bouncy Don Rich groove.

It’s also a tone fest, from out-of-phase Tele on “Papa Don’t Sleep” to swirling Leslie on “Zanak.” Gilkyson coaxes Barney Kessel-like chords in “Belladonna Leaving Las Vegas” and puts pedal to the metal in the country dazzler “Late For Jake.” Gilkyson’s name would not be out of place alongside country greats like Albert Lee and Bill Kirchen – with a little Cornell Dupree and Teenie Hodges thrown in for good measure.

This article originally appeared in VG’s January 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.