Guitar is made for the road. The damn thing could be shredding towards the wheel in the sky or locking into the most motorik of grooves; it hardly matters when the tone and treble of a guitar makes contact with the interstate blacktop. But what of the lonely expanse of the prairie, the endless, desolate grey of the northern states, and the absence of people that accompanies it?

This liminal zone of guitar exploration is gratefully getting some new attention. Jenks Miller, hardworking member of Mount Moriah and Horseback, has joined the ranks of deep west Morricone and the Northern devotees of Carlson and Young (circa-Dead Man (and the last little temper tantrum in “Cinnamon Girl”)). On “Sprit Signal,” listeners get their first taste of Miller’s new LP. Long, unchanging drone is joined by subtle twang and tone. Things build on their own pace – Miller seems to be following the needs of the song rather than exerting too much of himself. And pace is exactly what these spacious jams need. Pick up Spirit Signal from Northern Spy here.