Song Review: Steep Canyon Rangers - “Rumble Strips”
Steep Canyon Rangers careen off the road and deep into the bluegrass on “Rumble Strips,” the opening track and single No. 4 from Next Act.
A song of regret and a promise of self-improvement, the number features the newest Ranger, guitarist Aaron Burdett, on lead vocals and includes a namecheck of Tim O’Brien to back up the band’s bluegrass bonafides.
Late night hittin’ those rumble strips/heading off into the woods again/I’m bad for missing signs, moving fast and crossing lines/but I got the message loud and clear, the band sings before Graham Sharp’s banjo, Mike Guggino’s mandolin, Nicky Sanders’ fiddle and Mike Ashworth’s Dobro roll in and out in quick succession to match the song’s highway-speed tempo.
Next Act is out May 22; read Sound Bites’ previous coverage here.
Grade card: Steep Canyon Rangers - “Rumble Strips” - B
3/11/26
