If your 2015 belonged to Chris Stapleton, 2016 belonged to Ty Segall and 2017 belonged to Courtney Marie Andrews, then we can promise you that your 2018 will belong to Arkansas Dave. A real eclectic mix of soul, blues, punk and country, Arkansas Dave has taken the long road to musical acclaim, having worked in an array of bands over the years, but he has finally arrived at a sound that will launch him fully into the mainstream consciousness.
If Beck were to go country, Arkansas Dave’s debut album might just be the result. It is a little bit of everything to make you tick. From thought provoking grunge to powerhouse rock, the collection peaks with Jubilee, although Diamonds comes close – however, it is likely to be the radio thinking of Bad At Being Good that will see him crossover to mainstream acclaim.
Occasionally an artist comes along and wears their heart so firmly on their sleeve that you can’t help but be moved. Arkansas Dave is an artist of that ilk. He may not be the most unique or original in the sounds he creates, but he is an artist who more than warrants your attention. His debut album is a truly moving affair that will have you singing, shouting, stomping and sometimes just sitting and listening attentively. It is the kind of album that surprises the public by winning a huge award, and even though very few of them had heard of him previously, they will want to claim that they owned the record before it became big.
