Widely described as an alt-blues troubadour, the seventh long-player from Dave Arcari draws as much from country and punk as from the sounds of the deep south.
Also referenced in its 14 songs is the singer’s own heritage – the opening title track tells the tale of the summoning of the devil in a black mass in the Kilpatrick Hills, while the sparser, melodic ‘1923’ is a tribute to Arcari’s father.
Based near Loch Lomond, the bluesman offers a very different take on the traditional song of the same name, which includes violin from Jamie Wilson, while other guests include Chris McMullen of Ulster punk blues act The Bonnevilles and his old Radiotones bandmate Jim Harcus.
It’s a modern Celtic twist for the Mississippi delta, as much Muddy Waters and Lightning Hopkins as Johnny Cash and Seasick Steve, making for an epic culture clash.
This article originally appeared in the Portsmouth News.