Moreland & Arbuckle Vol.1

The story goes — two guys met at a jam in 2001 in Kansas. Along the way their raw, droning, harp/ guitar driven music evolved. The guys eventually hit the road with Z.Z. Top, George Thorogood, Buddy Guy, Los Lonely Boys and used the gigs as an apprenticeship — learning everything they could about putting on a powerhouse show. They learned real good!

Comparisons are made to the Black Keys and the North Mississippi Allstars, and that's good company. But, Moreland and Arbuckle have honed their own sound. Just listen to John Henry as the song lifts like a big, very big, old airplane. Their jam band sound has been worked so many times that the guys keep the edges sharp. And, there is some Canned Heat in their music.

Dustin Arbuckle doesn't need to screw with his voice to sound like an old Black stand up singer and, at times, he sounds hurt real bad. His harp playing manages to be mournful and celebratory at the same time — with thick, loping notes that make the harmonica echoing like a big, open can. Aaron Moreland rips on the guitar — sounding like more than one player. He chords, slides, and bangs with his thumb and never plays too many notes. He's channeling and challenging Hill Country Kings, Burnside and Kimbrough and their skilled protégé, Kenny Brown. And, Brad Horner, the drummer on this set, keeps the guys in the pocket banging to propel everything forward.

Moreland and Arbuckle have continued to gig and record and their fan base keeps growing. The sweet spot they found on a single day, with an old fashioned recording studio in a church in Kansas will make your body move in all the right places.