Album Review: William Tyler “Modern Country” Album Reviews by Ken Templeton - June 3, 20160 William Tyler’s forthcoming instrumental album, Modern Country, is gorgeous. And while it ain’t country, these nine instrumental pieces clearly draw on the various traditions of blues and country music that have shaped so much of American culture. Beyond musical influences, the album seems to consider landscape and place as well—the final song features a birdsong interlude about halfway through. Many of the songs feature rich, textured instrumentation, but they all maintain a tight connection to Tyler’s masterfully played guitar that defines the shape and scope of each composition. Tyler’s band features Phil Cook (Hiss Golden Messenger), Glenn Kotche (Wilco), and Darin Gray (Tweedy) and it’s easy to see why Tyler fits in so well as a sometime-member of HGM and as