Wednesday, May 15, 2013


Dave Arcari & The Hellsinki HellraisersWhisky In My Blood (Buzz Records).



If you’ve heard of Dave Arcari before then you’ll think you know what you’re in for. However, not everything is as it would appear. Known for his raucous, abrasive style and loved for it on the festival scene, Arcari has mellowed slightly in parts of this album. The Arcari of old is to be found on Heat Is Rising, where it’s just him and his guitar, Robert Johnson’s Travelling Riverside Blues, on which he slips effectively into his natural Scottish accent, and Preachin’ Blues with his manic growls and laughter and See Me laughing, a Delta influence Arcari style Blues. These are the Blues, Glasgow style. Highlights from the more mellow side are Rough Justice, which has some of his rough edges polished off, the Country Blues of Cherry Wine, Third Time Lucky, played with banjo and Jitterbug Swing. Other notables are the short and sharp Day Job, Tell Me Baby, which will be great live and the fractured, almost sentimental, sounds of Still Friends. This is an album to please fans, old and new.



David Blue.

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