045 - Moreland & Arbuckle – Awesome Modern with Traditional Country Blues Roots – Must Buy [31:04m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A1 Artist Spotlight.Com did a phone interview with Aaron Moreland of Moreland & Arbuckle about their new CD 1861. Listen to the podcast with the interview about Moreland & Arbuckle and hear songs from this great CD. Just click on the red play button above this and enjoy.
*
Moreland & Arbuckle’s music transports me to another time and place. Perhaps I’m riding the rails as a hobo while Aaron Moreland is playing blues on an old Parlor guitar. As the box car click clacks the time going down the track Dustin Arbuckle joins in singing and playing his harmonica. This is the sound of country roots blues at it’s very best. Imagine Son House or Mississippi Fred McDowell playing delta music in this dark boxcar. Wait, no, that’s not right we’re in Kansas not the delta. I know that scarecrow we just pasted, that yellow road. Oh no we’re not in Kansas any more I think were in Oz. The music sounds better than it ever has. There are beautiful bright colors radiating out of the music. If you think I’ve gone mad it’s because you have not started the podcast yet. When you hear Moreland & Arbuckle you will understand what I mean. The music takes you back to another time period yet at the same time it’s a wonderful new twist.
*

*
Moreland & Arbuckle have been playing together in various forms for about 6 years. The various forms mean bass players and drummers have come and gone. The drummer Brad Harner was the original drummer who has returned to the band. Their first project was a band called the King Snakes in 2004. An all-acoustic CD came out in 2005 followed by an all-electric CD in 2006. Now in 2008 they have put out their first CD 1861 on the Northern Blues label. They are from somewhere in Kansas but not Oz, 1861 refers to when Kansas became a state.
*

*
Aaron Moreland plays Electric, Parlor, Resonator, & Cigar Box Guitars
Dustin Arbuckle plays Harmonica & Sings
Brad Harner plays Drums
Guests:
Jeffrey Eaton plays Gas Tank Bass on “The Legend”
Chris Wiser plays Hammond B3 Organ on “Diamond Ring” & “Wiser Jam”
*

*
Other than the one song Jeffrey plays on there is no bass guitar on the CD. This may be one reason for the unique sound on 1861. Of the twelve songs about five are acoustic, the rest are electric. As I tried to explain earlier the songs have a traditional country blues root sound to them. Even the electric ones have an old time sound. Like most blues songs the songs deal with problems in peoples lives. The music on most of the songs is upbeat, not slow or depressing. The CD did take a while to get into but when it clicked it was like a wave of joy. Like the time I first understood Bob Dylan’s vocals on the LP Street Legal. I can’t go to bed, I want to hear more. The first few days of being into the CD there was a big smile on my face as I listened, it was so much fun. At times I felt guilty playing 1861 knowing there was other artists I should be getting to know for a future show. I just wanted to hear more of Moreland & Arbuckle. 1861 starts off with a Hound Dog Taylor song “Gonna Send Ya Back to Georgia”. Aaron Moreland’s slide guitar starts off the song then Dustin Arbuckle’s Harmonica comes in and we’re off and running. As with the whole CD when Dustin is playing Harmonica I’m in heaven. This is a good example of what I was talking about before. In the song he wants to send her back to Georgia before she breaks up his happy home. Shouldn’t this be a sad song? Musically it’s a festival of fun you can almost see people dancing around. “Fishin’ Hole” came about from Aaron taking his young boys fishing one day. One day at rehearsals the kids were talking about it. Dustin picked up on it, wrote some words. Aaron was tuning up and fell into the guitar riff. The song was done in five minutes. “Tell Me Why” was a result of going down to Mississippi to visit Mississippi Fred McDowell’s grave. It’s a drone, one cord song like the kind of style McDowell played. “See My Jumper Hangin’ out on the Line” is a R.L. Burnside cover. This is much more of an upbeat version than R.L. Burnside’s studio version. With the Harmonica, clean guitar playing and Brad Harner nice drumming this is a fine cover everyone will love. For me the best song lyrically is “The Legend”. Dustin Arbuckle wrote this about the problems his father had after coming back from the Vietnam War. “The Legend” covers a long time period in his dad’s life. Dustin used precise words to explain what went on in his dad’s life as a result of going through that terrible war. These lyrics are up to the high standards of a very good Bob Dylan song. Musically this song is good and the lyrics are prefect. “Never Far Behind” and “Please, Please Mammy” are nice songs about family life in the country. “Never Far Behind” tells a very enjoyable story and musically like “Gonna Send Ya Back to Georgia” if you look closely you may even see them dancing around. Call your radio station to request songs from 1861. As you can tell I’m really crazy over Moreland & Arbuckle’s 1861. I’ve been very lucky this year to review a lot of great CD’s. 1861 is really up there and should be nominated for CD of the year. If you like traditional country blues but would like something new, exciting and fun. Moreland & Arbuckle’s 1861 will not let you down. This is a must buy CD.
*
Songs played on the podcast:
1. Never Far Behind
2. Diamond Ring
3. Fishin’ Hole
4. The Legend
*
Please, Please Mammy – Was the Guitar & Harp solo of the week.
*

*
To buy 1861 from Moreland & Arbuckle Website
*
To buy 1861 from Northernblues Music
*
Moreland & Arbuckle - Website
*
Moreland & Arbuckle - MySpace page
*
You Tube - Jumper On The Line
*

Northernblues Music is their record label
Check out some of the other fine artist on Northernblues Music like Homemade Jamz Blues Band, JW-Jones, Watermelon Slim & Mac Arnold.
*
I would like to thank Michael McClune at Northernblues Music for his help in putting this podcast together also thanks to Aaron Moreland for taking time to do the interview.
*