by Daniel Gioffre

Right from the opening of Coast to Coast, where Steve Morse's inimitable guitar threatens to overwhelm the listener with flat-picked arpeggios, the ex-Dixie Dregs guitarist/composer is all over this trio album. From classical guitar to guitar synth, this is a record made by one of the greats using all of the tools in his sizeable vocabulary to express his muse. All of the ten songs on this record are short, with only one clocking in at over four minutes, but Morse has packed a lot into each of them. They are multi-layered, with many different themes and melodies, each building to a logical conclusion. One of Morse's greatest gifts, among being a guitar genius and brilliant composer, is that of a peculiarly skilled arranger. Each of his songs tells a story, and this ability is even more well-honed here than with his heyday with the Dixie Dregs in the late '70s. As expected from Morse, his songs exhibit a wide variety of musical influences. Always a pleasure on Morse's albums are his country numbers, and the offering on Coast to Coast, the aptly named "Runaway Train," is no exception to this rule. Dave LaRue's slap bass is a bit of an acquired taste on this track, but it serves to tie the song to the larger picture of the band's sound, and as such is permissible. Not as essential as his work with the Dixie Dregs, but a fine offering from a talented and overlooked musician and songwriter.