‘Devil May Care’ is the seventh long player by Scottish Alt-blues man Dave Arcari. Other than his fifth album ‘Whisky in my Blood’ where Arcari was accompanied by the Hellsinki Hellraisers this is the first time he has featured guest performers on his recordings – something made possible with support from Help Musicians, an independent charity for professional musicians within the UK.
In the best tradition of the blues the supernatural features heavily and true to that tradition the album opener, ‘Devil May Care’, weaves a tale of black magic inspired by a natural phenomenon in the Scottish Kilpatrick Hills combined with stories passed down through the generations of black masses. The slide driven blues stomp features a guest appearance by Chris McMullen on drums from Northern Irish punk blues band The Bonnevilles.
A slower and more personal tale unfolds in the melodic ‘1923’. This time Arcari delves into his own family history for a personal tribute to his late Father and his adventures after leaving Scotland to complete his National Service in the Italian Horse Calvary. A poignant tale it also acknowledges Arcari’s failure to appreciate his Father’s achievements and personality until it was too late.
Speaking about the support, he received to make the album by the charity Help Musicians Arcari says:
The support from Help Musicians goes way beyond financials; it also includes mentoring and business advice sessions which are invaluable for musicians, helping them to thrive with the knowledge and skills they need to build a sustainable career.
This is not the first time Arcari has benefitted from the charity’s support:
I was fortunate enough to be part of a Help Musicians coaching programme a few years ago and accessed support via Music Minds Matter when I was going through a particularly difficult period just before the pandemic hit.
Two covers on the album allow Arcari to add his own flourish and style to established classics. ‘Nine Pound Hammer’ finds his playing influenced by the work of Country star Merle Travis. While, ‘Meet me in the City’ finds inspiration in versions by blues maestro Junior Kimbrough and garage rockers The Black Keys.
He also finds inspiration within Scottish traditional music to pen ‘Loch Lomond (Home)’. An updated version of the classic ‘Loch Lomond’, Arcari’s updated lyrics give it a more personal touch as he includes his own experiences of moving to the countryside from the city and being accepted within his new community. A collection of local friends collectively known as loch’ on choruses guest alongside violinist Jamie Wilson.
Anyone who knows Arcari will also know that his drink of choice is Whiskey. His love of, and association with the aforementioned tipple is clear on the songs ‘Stick to Your Guns’ and ‘Whisky Trail’.
‘Devil May Care’ without doubt features some of Arcari’s best work to date. His songs are personal, observational and captivating, while his guitar playing, as always is sublime. A stunning release by the very affable Scotsman and one that is highly recommended listening.