Outside of the West Coast's in-the-know jazz scene, Nels Cline is best-recognized for commanding the lead guitar chair in Wilco. There he weaves and embellishes; here, he dreams, drones, relentlessly rocks and deliciously resonates with quiet lyricism. Of course, all this is achieved sans vocalists, with Cline's top-drawer trio featuring bassist Devin Hoff and drummer Scott Amendola giving voice to the leader's expressive tunes and excursions. The simpler fare is best, such as the opening beauty "Caved-In Heart Blues," the 3/4 time "The Angel of Angels" and the quiet acoustic twins "Recognize I" and "Recognize II." Brawny rockers also rule, including the jagged "Attempted" and the play-it-loud "Confection." Less effective are the expansive avant improvs, which suffer from editing. Case in point: the propulsive "Mixed Messages," which detours from Cline's riveting guitar spectacle with a pocket of tiptoe playing. —Dan Ouellette