Roo Arcus’ “Cowboys & Sunsets” Does Traditional Country Right
Those who believe country music can only emanate from the rural American south have obviously never spent much time pondering the eerie parallels between country music’s heartland in the United States, and large swaths of rural Canada and Australia where country music thrives in the songs of cowboys whose lives are sometimes more authentic to the themes of country music than anything American life can even offer today. Though like the helpfulness of a local tour guide when your traveling through foreign land, knowing where to point your nose when listening to country from a different continent is paramount.
Just like its Canadian counterpart, Australian country is constantly under the constraints on American country’s commercial influence, causing both Aussie country stars to be overshadowed by mainstream Nashville powerhouses, and making other Australian stars adopt Nashville’s trends in order to succeed. Get started down the wrong road, and you could find yourself listening to a playlist of Keith Urban wannabees. And no, a wannabee is not a adorably fuzzy Down Under marsupial.
Beneath the surface of Australian country, traditional artists still fight for attention and find it amidst both Australian and international listeners. Roo Arcus is one of those traditional country artists, and one who can quiet American naysayers arguing an Australian can’t birth authentic country songs, and not just from the songs that his life has inspired, but the country lifestyle Roo Arcus leads.
Starting his musical journey as an understudy of the legendary Australian country artist Slim Dusty, Roo found initial success in 2000 when he launched his solo career with the album Station Boy. Though it looked like Arcus was on his way to a big career in Australian country music, in 2004 he was forced to bail out of his plans to help save the family farm. The death of his mother due to Leukemia and a historic drought in the southern tablelands of Australia forced Arcus off the road and tending to family matters. Born and raised a cattleman, Roo spent the prime years of a country career working cattle and caring for his family. But after nearly a decade of putting the farm back on the path to prosperity, Roo was able to resume his country music passion, and Cowboys and Sunsets is the Australian performer’s latest effort for 2015.
Beyond the authenticity and the clear rudimentary study of country music that Roo displays in his music, Cowboys and Sunsets is remarkable in how it sounds just like some lost album from the sweet spot of the career of Alan Jackson or George Strait, or even a little bit of James Hand when they were still young and hungry and trying to prove themselves.
Where so much country music labeled “traditional” these days tries too hard to prove how country it is with over-inflected, super-twangy brow-beating posturing, or can’t resist the seduction to add screaming guitars or laundry list elements in a bid to stay relevant, Cowboys and Sunsets pins its line to the traditional country post and doesn’t waver. Every song stays steady in its resolve to interpret country in a traditional manner in both the style of writing and the instrumental accompaniment, but overrides any concerns about dated material by delivering lasting quality in each cut. Style trends in music come and go, but the the sway of a heartfelt sentiment, or the swoon a steel guitar inflicts on the human heart remains timeless, and Roo Arcus proves this better than many of his Stateside counterparts.
Though a few moments or songs might be fair to call a little hokey, most of Cowboys and Sunsets is classic country at its finest. “This Ain’t No Suit” tells the story of Roo Arcus straight from real life. It’s no act when he talks about wearing boots and herding cattle. Songs like “It’s Not The Fall,” “The Shots You Never Take,” “Cowboys Are Little Boys First” and “Turn My Hand To” have that brilliant insight everyone looks for in great country music. “Last Dirt Road” is no Down Under version of Bro-Country, it’s about holding on to things that matter in the endless charge of progress that has no care for sentimental history. “If That’s What Love Was” and the album’s first single “Let’s Get Out Of Here” are really enjoyable listens, and bluegrass goddess Rhonda Vincent lends her hand to the duet “Half Hearted Love Affair.” Roo even mixes in some shuffles and Western Swing on this record.
Forget the country of origin, Cowboys and Sunsets is one of the best traditional country albums released so far this year, and reminds you of a time when country music gave you a warm feeling, not just from nostalgia, but through speaking straight to your heart about life’s joys and obstacles in a manner that will never go out of style.
1 3/4 of 2 Guns Up.
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Note: Cowboys and Sunsets is only available in a limited amount of places. It can be purchased on iTunes, and is also available to stream through Spotify. You can also purchase physical copies on eBay.
March 29, 2015 @ 6:01 pm
Streaming this right now, good stuff, real country at its best!
March 29, 2015 @ 6:55 pm
Can anyone tell me where to purchase a physical copy, assuming it’s available? Thank you.
March 29, 2015 @ 11:16 pm
Roo’s physical album can be purchased from ebay Australia and he will personally autograph it too.
Hope that helps. ☺
March 31, 2015 @ 9:59 am
Jamie Allen shared this with me a couple days ago, and my order for both albums has already shipped. Thank you for the reply.
March 29, 2015 @ 7:07 pm
Wonderful!!!
March 29, 2015 @ 7:16 pm
I couldn’t find it on Itunes but they did have an old track from 2013
Nice sound.
March 29, 2015 @ 7:28 pm
I’m streaming the album now on Spotify. So far, it’s fantastic! The production quality is top notch. The instrumentation is solid. Vocals are smooth and twangy enough, reminiscent of George Strait. The lyrics are thoughtful without trying too hard.
March 29, 2015 @ 7:32 pm
Hi Guys,
Roo will definitely send you one – you can order through his ebay store, or check out his Facebook page for the links!
I’ve got both this one and his previous one (This Here Cowboy) and can’t get enough of them.
Best bet is to probably contact him via Facebook – great guy!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rooarcus
EBay (Australia): http://www.ebay.com.au/usr/bundyroo?_trksid=p2047675.l2559
Jamie
March 29, 2015 @ 8:23 pm
Thank you, Jamie. I ordered both albums via his eBay account.
March 29, 2015 @ 8:04 pm
For the first time in quite awhile, I smiled the whole way through a country album, toes tapping, wanting to head out to a honky-tonk and do some serious two-stepping, and remembering times of pushing cattle through the Wyoming mountains and going into town on Saturday night. Oh, how I’ve missed you, country music! I will be contacting Roo about getting physical copies of his music. Love, love, LOVE!!!!
March 29, 2015 @ 8:09 pm
Gday from down under!
First time I heard Roo I thought it was George Strait, he’s got a great voice. I believe this album was recorded in Nashville by a group of gun players.
Trigger, while your on the path of Aussie country, check out Catherine Britt, Bill Chambers, Harmony James, Kristy Cox etc all aussies who are on the more traditional side of things. We have a heap of great artists here that range from traditional to ‘bro’ just like in the states – another to check out is Troy Cassar-Daley who has just put a new album and its fantastic. Some more traditional songs and more a little rock influenced, and he loves his old school country singers!
Also have a listen to Bill Chambers & Robyn Ludwick collaboration ‘Mr Saturday Night’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-XKLoG3kdc They have an album coming this year apparently.
LG
March 29, 2015 @ 8:24 pm
Thanks LG.
March 29, 2015 @ 10:37 pm
No worries mate! If you want an Aussie correspondent just sing out haha
Check this out if you like – video of Troy Cassar Daley and a bit of a Aussie history lesson about a song from his new album. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIMy_5fgL_w
Also one of his bigger songs from a few years ago http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAIDzMzWoPw
Have also seen a short documentary about his new album, will try find it online for you. Like mentioned in that doco, he has a lot of Australian imagary – or Australiana – in his songs but through his songwriting it’s still meaningful to Americans.
Also Catherine Britt has a new album out soon, here’s one of her older songs and then the first single from the new one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDL571VoeJQ
https://youtu.be/3NcvGTK_lu8
Good thing about these quality Aussie artists is, they aren’t afraid to make it known who their heroes are. Troy often covers Merle Haggard and Slim Dusty songs and I know Catherine is a massive Hank snr and Jimmy Rogers fan.
March 30, 2015 @ 8:59 am
For some reason I read that in an Australian accent
March 29, 2015 @ 8:47 pm
Are the prices on iTunes in Australian dollars? Even then, the singles are quite expensive by American standards (1.68 US dollars each). I wonder if Roo Arcus will put the album up on the American iTunes site as well.
March 29, 2015 @ 10:11 pm
That sounds about right for the iTunes Australia. We generally pay about that for a single song and between $16 and $20 for a whole album.
It is way more expensive than the US iTunes store, which is why a lot of Aussies use a made up residential address and buy iTunes cards from the states so we can buy through the US store.
Jamie
March 29, 2015 @ 9:07 pm
Never heard of him, but streaming on Spotify right now and loving it! On my third pass through right now, thanks for the recommendation!
March 29, 2015 @ 9:51 pm
Trigger, here’s an article from Wired that you might find interesting:
http://www.wired.com/2015/03/country-rules-airwaves-chronicling-genres-continuing-moment-challenging-future-one-music-filled-night/
It is interesting how the article ties the 2010 Nashville flood to the changes that have happened since then in the genre.
March 29, 2015 @ 10:29 pm
Good article, though the flood as symbolism I’m not sure holds up. Stuff was headed south much before then, but it’s a good perspective.
March 30, 2015 @ 1:11 am
I am assuming that while Canada and Australia and even New Zealand have both bro and traditionalist that the states is the only place traditionalist don’t make the airwaves or charts with much regularity? If this is true why is that? I know Canada likes their LIndi Ortega for sure so she’s getting play and yet mainstream radio in the US can’t even give one pass to Sturgill Simpson. The music business here is SO ODD.
March 30, 2015 @ 2:47 am
Yep very odd – we definitely get songs like these of Roo Arcus or Catherine Britt etc next to a Luke Bryan song.
March 30, 2015 @ 10:41 am
well in canada the radio are legally required to play a certain amount of canadian content, but the top 40 country station here will only play stuff that sounds like a copy of the most popular nashville artists,. lindi ortega who you mentioned is pretty well known but i’ve never heard her on commercial radio, i actually think a rock station would be more likely to play her than country 105.
March 30, 2015 @ 6:19 am
Great Album. Produced by Jerry Salley.
March 30, 2015 @ 8:24 am
I really like the Australian artist Lee Kernaghan. Not quite as traditional as I usually prefer but his music is so Australian, I really enjoy all the references to Utes (trucks), sheep stations, and Aboriginals.
March 30, 2015 @ 11:00 am
The idea that Traditional Country can only come from the American South is so fucking hilarious that it’s hard to believe anybody truly thinks that. Us rural folks up in the Midwest are as country, if not more.
March 30, 2015 @ 1:54 pm
G’day everybody… I’d just like to first of all thank savingcountrymusic.com for the great review… and to all if you have taken the time to comment… and even buy my albums. This year marks 20 years since I got started in this business. Who knows… I might just be an overnight success yet. Maybe I was 20 years too late as I think I would have fitted the mould of a late 80’s or 90’s country singer… but that’s alright… I think there’s quite a few of us stuck in that void. I promise I’ll keep carrying the torch for traditional country for as long as I’m upright. So … from the deep, deep south (Australia)… thanks again… and hope to meet you on one of my US trips.
April 1, 2015 @ 4:58 am
I absolutely believe many of us are stuck in that void. It’s a great sound.Great CD you got there!
March 30, 2015 @ 2:01 pm
Never heard of him, sounds pretty good, will be buying the album.
March 31, 2015 @ 12:38 am
Roo is a world class act, I just wish someone from the other side of the pond would pick him up this guys genuine, his first album was a knock out.. Please consider this guy he’s country down to the core, with solid song writing and a knock out set of Pipes… Australia Thanks you…
April 1, 2015 @ 5:43 am
Is there anything we can do to get Roo played at our local radio stations?
April 1, 2015 @ 6:03 am
I just bought this album and am looking forward to listening to it. Corb Lund is one of my favorite artists, so I have no problem with a non-Southerner, or even non-US doing country, as long as its good. I will say, however, that in Corb’s case, being from western Canada, does not make his experience foreign to Southern US or Western US cowboy culture. During the settlement of the American West, a great deal of cowboy culture spread into western Canada and Mexico. Also, a lot of Spanish horse culture was absorbed by the American settlers. So, really, there is nothing foreign about western Canadians living that culture. I don’t know enough about the settlement of Australia to know if they had similar experiences…
April 1, 2015 @ 5:26 pm
Check Out Adam Brand and The McClymonts 2 great Aussie Talents
April 4, 2015 @ 12:26 pm
Yes it’s a fabulous album and was made CD of the Month (5 STARS) in March by the editor of UK’s Country Music People Duncan Warwick… ..If you’ve bought a Jackson or Strait release you’ll love this..one of the strongest sets I can remember since the last Roo Arcus release and essential.
The trouble with so many Australian & Canadian releases is that they don’t have worldwide distribution and only available in their respective countries on iTunes.au & iTunes.ca
One of the best albums so far in 2015.