On Flood,Moreland & Arbuckle's debut release on Telarc International, adivision of Concord Music Group, the rootsy, hard-driving group fromKansas takes music itself to places it's never been. Featuring mostlyoriginal tunes, Flood presents a dynamic mix of thirteenacoustic and electric songs, each performed with all the subtlety of apassing freight train.
Ever since guitarist Aaron Moreland firstmet singer/harpist Dustin Arbuckle at an open mic jam in Wichita in2001, Moreland & Arbuckle have established themselves as a force tobe reckoned with. Along with Brad Horner on drums, the group featuresMoreland playing everything from National steel to a cigar box guitar,and Arbuckle singing and playing harmonica.
Moreland &Arbuckle are traditionalists and innovators at the same time, mergingold school Chicago and Delta blues with garage rock sensibilities.While Arbuckle was mostly influenced by the Mississippi blues,traditional country music and bluegrass, Moreland grew up listening toeveryone from Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath to Charlie Patton andMuddy Waters.
Unconfined by convention, Moreland attributesthe group's growing popularity to their unique sound andinstrumentation. He says, "Going three-piece, we have a greatchemistry."
Guitar Edge magazine wrote, "The pride of Kansasplays Hill Country stomps like his life depends on it." The EdmontonJournal calls Moreland & Arbuckle "one of the more inspiring youngacts putting a new shine on music rooted in a century-old tradition."
Moreland& Arbuckle's previous release, 1861, won the Indie Acoustic Project2008 CD of the Year Award. The band recently performed for U.S. troopsin Iraq and Kuwait. "I didn't imagine the trip to Iraq would be sogrueling," Arbuckle says. "But it was an amazing experience to shareour music with the soldiers. It really did exemplify the powerfulspirituality and healing element that music possesses."
"Beinga musician is the ultimate job," says Moreland. "What I realize is thatmusic has always been one of the most important things in my life. Intough times, it was the one thing I could always turn to."
"WhenI was in my teen years, I never had any direction," Arbuckle says. "Butmusic was a central feature in my life. It's powerful and compelling,and it's given me purpose."
Moreland & Arbuckle haverecently completed tour dates with Jonny Lang, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray,Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Johnny Winter.
