Alligator Records Signs Moreland & Arbuckle
New Album Due In Spring 2016
Alligator Records is pleased to announce the signing of roots rock/blues band Moreland & Arbuckle. The self-described "roots and blues from the heartland" group (guitarist Aaron Moreland, harpist/vocalist Dustin Arbuckle and drummer Kendall Newby) will release their as yet untitled label debut -- produced by Matt Bayles (Mastodon, The Sword) -- in Spring, 2016. According to Moreland, "The new album is consciously more traditional than our last two, but still has the signature grit and power that we have crafted the past 13 years. We achieved that beautifully."
Since first joining forces in Wichita, Kansas in 2001, Moreland & Arbuckle have created an impressive body of work, releasing six critically acclaimed albums. With a broad musical vision and a deep sense of history, the band plays smartly written contemporary songs delivered with musical muscle and fifth-gear urgency. Relentlessly merging raw Delta and Mississippi Hill Country blues, folk, and traditional country with energetic rock and soul, Moreland & Arbuckle continually take their music in new, unexpected directions. No Depression says, "These guys have kegs full of talent. Their songs will keep you driving fast and long."
From the 2005 self-release of their first album, Caney Valley Blues to 2013's 7 Cities (also produced by Bayles) on Telarc, Moreland & Arbuckle have grown from a fiery, crowd-pleasing duo to a genre-smashing three-piece band impossible to categorize but rooted deep in the blues. Together, Moreland's rhythmic and propulsive guitar work and Arbuckle's emotionally-charged harmonica and edgy vocals -- supported by Newby's tough drumming -- create a sound that is forceful enough to grab a listener's attention and nuanced enough to hold it. American Songwriter says the group's music is "swampy, sweaty and muggy....mixing a bluesy foundation with bits of country, folk and squawking American rock and roll.” WNYC's Soundcheck says the band plays "gritty blues with a thoroughly contemporary bite.”
Moreland says signing with Alligator is a perfect fit. "We are very happy to work with the Alligator team. To the best of my knowledge, there isn't a single independent label on the planet who has been as successful for 45 years. That speaks volumes. One of our biggest influences ever, Hound Dog Taylor, was the very first Alligator artist. One of the reasons we have the non-traditional lineup of no bass player was inspired by listening to Hound Dog's music as we were coming up."
According to Alligator president Bruce Iglauer, signing Moreland & Arbuckle to the label known for its Genuine Houserockin' Music was an easy choice. “I’ve watched this band grow from talented interpreters of raw, traditional blues into creators of fresh, original roots-based songs. Live, the energy just pours out of them.”
Upon first meeting at an open-mic jam in Wichita, Moreland and Arbuckle made an immediate blues connection, and soon after began making music together. They formed The Kingsnakes, a four piece unit, but couldn't keep a steady bass player. They soon found they made a better sound without one, as Moreland kept the rhythm thumping on his guitar while Arbuckle took the music into overdrive with his harmonica and vocals. The band quickly became local heroes, filling clubs beyond capacity. It wasn't long before they started touring larger cities around the country, earning new fans with every performance.
After three self-released albums and countless roof-raising tour dates, Moreland & Arbuckle signed with Telarc in 2010, releasing three more critically acclaimed CDs. They have logged hundreds of thousands of road miles (they recently replaced their van after driving it over 400,000 miles), performing in the United States, Canada and across Europe. In 2008 they spent 10 days in Iraq, playing for the troops. They've shared stages with ZZ Top, George Thorogood, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray and Los Lonely Boys. They'll return to the road in support of the new album in 2016, with dates in the United States and Europe already set.
