Search - Moreland & Arbuckle :: Flood

Music has the power to transport us: to carry us to mysterious places and explore new worlds. On Flood, Moreland & Arbuckle's debut release, the rootsy, hard-driving group from Kansas takes music itself to places it's never been. Featuring mostly original tunes, Flood presents a dynamic mix of thirteen acoustic and electric songs, each performed with all the subtlety of a passing freight train. Ever since guitarist Aaron Moreland first met singer/harpist Dustin Arbuckle at an open mic jam in Wichita in 2001, Moreland & Arbuckle have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with. Along with Brad Horner on drums, the group features Moreland 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, merging old 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 to everyone from Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath to Charlie Patton and Muddy Waters. Unconfined by convention, Moreland attributes the group's growing popularity to their unique sound and instrumentation. He says, "Going three-piece, we have a great chemistry." "My playing has become more rhythmic." "Of course, Little Walter was a huge influence. There's as much soul in that music as any." In fact, the album opens with a blazing version the legendary bluesman's "Hate to See You Go," showcasing Arbuckle's in-your-face harmonica work. "Being a musician is the ultimate job," says Moreland. "What I realize is that music has always been one of the most important things in my life. In tough times, it was the one thing I could always turn to." "When I was in my teen years, I never had any direction, but music was a central feature in my life. It's powerful and compelling, and it's given me purpose." That pupose is seen in its entirety on Flood.