Ever since guitarist Nels Cline joined the band Wilco, and especially after 2007’s Sky Blue Sky, my constant complaint with this current lineup of the band is that Cline is consistently under used. I remember being floored by the man’s work during the Ghost is Born tour. His playing was loud and inventive. His tone was ragged, yet surprisingly clear, like Thurston Moore himself was shredding right there, next to vocalist Jeff Tweedy. And then came the aforementioned Sky Blue Sky, an album which took a more Steely Dan approach to rock music. Oh, there have been bits and pieces, showcasing Cline, like the jamfest that is “Blue Black Nova,” on 2009’s Wilco (The Album) and here, on Wilco’s new video for “Born Alone.” Cline makes the standard, mid-tempo, Rock ‘N’ Roller, anything but, when his unshackled, piercing screech hits. It only gets better from there, as guitar track upon track is stacked, creating a spinning, orchestral effect. Now, this is more of what I expect from Wilco.

VIDEO: Wilco – Born Alone

The Whole Love by Wilco will be released September 27th on dBPM records and is available now for pre-order in a variety of formats and packages.