The new release kicks off in full-on emotional blues territory with ‘Heaven Forbid’. Right away, it shows off exactly what this band can do, pairing Dustin Arbuckle’s deep, soulful vocals and lush harmonica lines with some seriously stinging guitar accents from Brandon Hudspeth, all backed by Caleb Drummond on bass and Colby Aiken on drums.
It’s a blinding opener.
From there, they pivot into ‘Desperate Love’, a primitive, Hill Country-style stomp packed with overdrive-drenched delta harmonica, a grinding low end, and some beautiful slide work by Hudspeth. Then they switch lane again for ‘Small Branch Motel’. an up-tempo, easygoing track with freewheeling harmonica and guitar that just feels incredibly nice.
The energy keeps rolling with ‘Out of Time’, a driving blues rocker where Arbuckle leads the charge with some blistering harmonica while Aiken locks down a train-like drum rhythm and Hudspeth winds things up on slide guitar. Fans of slow blues will love ‘Always Gone’, an absolute powerhouse. It features incredibly soulful vocals and warm, distorted guitar chords that give off heavy Creedence Clearwater Revival vibes, especially when Hudspeth cuts loose with a clean, knockout lead.
Before wrapping up, the album throws a brilliant curveball with a rocking version of of Bob Dylan’s ‘Tombstone Blues’ and a melodic adaptation of Gillian Welch’s ‘Didn’t I’.
In an era of over produced music, Dustin Arbuckle understands a fundamental truth. When the blues gets too spit-polished, it loses its soul and its power to persuade. Instead, he embraces the beautiful imperfections of the genre. He anchors the entire album in a gritty foundation that gives every track an unmistakable and unmissable listening experience.