It’s been a good year for guys with guitars and southern-leaning sounds: In May, William Tyler released Modern Country; in June, Steve Gunn put out Eyes on the Lines; and, in October, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Luke Roberts will release his next full-length, Sunlit Cross.
First single “Silver Chain” is forward trek, a sparse arrangement propelled by the pitter-patter of a meager drum kit and Roberts’ meditative, drawling lyrics. It’s a song about being bound to your god in all that you do — about human greed and atonement. Though Kurt Vile sits in on banjo and backing vocals, he in no way stands out; “Silver Chain” is breathtaking in its simplicity, with or without Kurt or its also impressive video accompaniment.