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Saturday, February 12, 2022

Hot New Music from One Ton Trolley

Available from the Band or Online 3/11/22

If you've attended  Southeast Michigan Acoustic Open Mics, Songwriter Rounds or "Listening Room" concerts, you have no doubt run across the prodigious Singer/Songwriter talents of Bill Arnold.   With the heart of a poet, a keen keen eye for the human condition and an uncanny knack for rhythmic, musical, and vocal hooks, his songs are impossible to ignore.  In these acoustic settings, his booming voice and passionate delivery fill the room and the ears of listeners with the very best of what live, local music is supposed to be.  See THIS LINK for a sample of what I'm talking about.

But when Bill partners with his fellow musical "conductors" in his band One Ton Trolley, these songs are magically transformed from their folk/Americana origins to roots-tinged, rock-and-roll masterpieces like this performance from earlier this year.  Featuring the rhythm section perfection of Jon Johnson (Drums) and Chis Brown (Bass), and the  soaring lead guitar and vocal harmonies of  Anthony Zack, these songs are effortlessly metamorphosed into impossible to forget ballads, danceable grooves and hard driving rock anthems--while keeping true to their Americana roots.  

In a run-up to a full schedule of shows this year, and a full-length album currently in final production at the Tempermill Studios in Detroit, the band just released a five-song EP...a succulent sonic amuse-bouche for the musical feast about to come.   Available now in CD format from the band, and widely distributed through all online and streaming services on March 11th, No Simple Highways features three previously recorded songs (Don't Tell Me, Dreaming, and Ghosts of the Deep) and two new, original,  fan-favorites: Blind, and the title track No Simple Highways.  No middle aged band dream-camp, basement recording, this professionally recorded and mixed project features all that is best about One Ton Trolley:  killer songwriting, tight harmonies, driving rhythms and well executed arrangements.  It serves as a perfect appetizer for the new album and introduction to what fans can expect when they see the Trolley play live.   

As I sit here on a gray Michigan winter day pondering the future of live, local music over rye whiskey and bitters, my day is both brighten and warmed with thoughts of summer adventures and new local music in the coming year.   Live shows by One Ton Trolley will no doubt move to the "not to be missed" portion of my calendar.  So will there upcoming full-length album .   You should join me--really--you should. Trust me on this one.

One Ton Trolley.  Roots Rock from the Rustbelt.  Coming soon to a venue near you.