I discovered Adam Arcuragi in a small backyard tent in Silver Spring, MD years ago, and while his sound was initially a bit of an acquired taste, it was one worthy of one’s attention. Fast forward six years later and that modest skepticism, has turned a manifested love.
In that time, Arcuragi has grown from a kind Southerner in a small tent to an all-out live attraction, bearing a wealthy discography to boot. His untainted epiphany has been a joy to watch from the beginning, but it’s not too late to get in on the action. Catch him live tonight at IOTA.
Adam’s most recent album, Like A FireThat Consumes All Before It, is titled after a Cy Tombly painting, but aptly named to all it embodies, as it is fire in the heart of Arcuragi’s music that will consume you whole. The originator and sole purveyor of the genre known as “Death Gospel,” Arcuragi makes music that celebrates the inevitable; our common doom played out, oh so blissfully. It’s a style of music that ensues rapture, described by Adam as “singing love songs to love.”
Adam is backed by the Lupine Chorale Society, a gallant group of men and a woman dedicated to making Arcuragi’s revelations soar. They’re raw and exposed without being too wholesome—but don’t get the wrong idea, there’s plenty of wild fire lighting their sky. The burn is sweet; trees part and you have an engine inspired by old Americana, with a healthy dose of the familiar.
There is an echoing of Jeff Mangum at the end of Arcuragi’s “Oh I See,” along with a little Andrew Bird-ness without the whistle in “Parliament of the Birds.” However those are only pointing to a small dose of the familiar, as Adam Arcuragi & the Lupine Chorale Society are more than just something to be heard, they are an experience to be had.
That’s just part of the gospel, if you want more, you best hop on the Death Gospel train. It’s leaving at the end but always bringing you back to the beginning. Come on, come on, come on!
You can catch Adam Arcuragi tonight, at IOTA in Arlington, VA with Spirit Family Reunion.
