Highway Prayersthe major label studio debut of Billy Strings, is a coming out party for the bluegrass prodigy. Not that Strings necessarily needs an introduction. Over the course of years of touring, punctuated by a handful of acclaimed records on the legendary Americana label Rounder, the Michigan native has developed a quicksilver style that has earned him widespread industry appeal and recognition: Homehis second album, won the 2021 Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album, just as his fast flat-picking was being enthusiastically received by jam band geeks. Without ever abandoning his roots in traditional bluegrass, Strings ventured into other musical styles and demonstrated his skills with rock, metal and blues, feeling just as comfortable with bluegrass legends Béla Fleck and David Grisman as with rapper Post Malone or the Jam -Titans Phish.

Strings did not extend invitations to high-profile guests where they performed Highway Prayersalthough he has opted to bring in a prominent collaborator: producer Jon Brion, whose extensive resume includes classics by Fiona Apple and Kanye West as well as artful film scores for Paul Thomas Anderson. Brion’s expertise lies in using the studio as a canvas, a skill he subtly passes on to Strings, who adds painterly nuance to his bluegrass. The record’s expanded palette and sprawling double album length reflect a musician who is keen to experiment – but is key to its success Highway Prayers is that he never strays too far from home.

However, the picturesque detours are crucial to the character of the album. Brion brings clever studio magic Highway PrayersLooping bong rips and lighting lighters on the rhythm track of “MORBUD4ME” for a stoner joke subtle enough to slip under the radar of a less discerning listener. A similar trick is used on “Leadfoot,” where the pair try out a vintage Chevy and its growl turns into a fast-paced escape anthem. Only a handful of tracks were recorded in Los Angeles with Brion at the helm, but his guidance and occasional instrumental contributions give the album sweetness and a subtle sense of cinematic dimension. “Gild the Lily” glides by like a sweet summer breeze, while the plight of the prison story “Seven Weeks in County” is underscored by ghostly strings wailing in the background.

Strings’ time in the studio with Brion inspired the guitarist to head to his home turf to construct “Stratosphere Blues/I Believe In You,” a mini-suite that combines echoing vocals and Keyboards combine into a pulsating astral lava lamp, which then gives way to a painful, direct plea for connection. This duality captures the album’s aesthetic in miniature: all of his external explorations led Strings to turn inward and apply what he had learned to bluegrass, the music he loves most.