CD REVIEW
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10 April 2012
Dixiefrog Presents Arcari
Dave Arcari’s first album for the French
Dixiefrog label is also his first compilation –
and quite possibly his finest full-length
release to date. While not quite “career-
spanning“, the CD does include a track from
the 2003 Radiotones album “Bound To Ride“
and several from Dave’s 2010 effort “Devil’
s Left Hand“, plus a mix of new covers and
fresh reworkings of older material. It’s the
new stuff that seals the deal.
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The track selection seems to indicate that Mr. Arcari has been listening to Bob
Dylan a lot lately – hardly surprising, as he was reportedly playing Dylan and
Neil Young in the streets of Glasgow way back when. Or it could be that he’s
just been enjoying the music of bluesmen of old: while Dylan did cut “See That My
Grave Is Kept Clean“, “Baby Let Me Follow You Down“ and “Duncan & Brady“, the
roots of all three date back to the earliest of blues. Add to these the trad.arr
Celtic folk of “Loch Lomond“ – the banks of which Dave calls home these days! –
and you have the nucleus of a great album. Arcari’s vocals haven’t sounded this
relaxed and heartfelt since his first EP’s, and the unexpected banjo on “See That
My Grave Is Kept Clean“ and keyboards on “Loch Lomond“ are simply brilliant.
Robert Burns’ “McPherson’s Lament“ receives a cool new treatment with Jamie
Wilson on violin and the Radiotones-era “Hot Muscle Jazz“ is done here solo, the
way the crowds are used to hearing it of late. For “Walkin’ Blues“, “Blue Train“
and “Nobody’s Fool“, Arcari is joined by the Finnish rockabilly rhythm section of
Honey Aaltonen and Juuso Haapasalo – Dave has never hid his rockabilly
affiliations and it only makes sense he should recruit his band from a country
where Elvis haircuts and Hawaiian shirts have been the roots music uniform for
decades, despite the weather! Honey and Juuso need no introductions for the
Finnish reader and live up to their reputations; the Johnny Cash cover “Blue Train
“ especially chugs along nicely.
“Devil’s Left Hand“, “One Side Blind“ and the fabulous diddley bow stomp
“Dragonfly“ are all lifted directly from the “Devil’s Right Hand“ album, available on
Dave’s own Buzz Records – which leaves us Dave and The Radiotones’ version of
“Troubled Mind“ from the rockiest album the band ever did. Dixiefrog has struck
gold and provided what is probably the best introduction to Dave Arcari there can
be; and of course, this CD is bound to tempt folks into exploring Dave’s back
catalogue. The kind people of Finland will get that opportunity in April when Arcari
and his Hellsinki Hellraisers play the Stompin’ At The Savoy festival in the country’
s capital.
ANDRES ROOTS
Dave Arcari: Nobody’s Fool. Dixiefrog Records, 2012
Dave Arcari (vocals, guitar, banjo, diddley bow, keyboards), Juuso Haapasalo
(upright bass), Honey Aaltonen (drums), Jamie Wilson (violin), Jim Harcus
(harmonica), Adrian Patterson (bass), Don MacKinnon (drums), Paul Savage
(drum)
Links: Dave Arcari, Dixiefrog Records
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