The Arcs

The Arcs
Name	The Arcs
Background	group_or_band
Origin	Los Angeles, California, United States
Years active	2015–2016, 2018–present
Labels	Easy Eye Sound, Nonesuch Records
Associated acts	The Black Keys, The Raconteurs, Alabama Shakes, Danger Mouse

The Arcs is an American rock group formed in Los Angeles by a lineup of established musicians and producers. The project blends elements of soul music, garage rock, psychedelic rock, and blues rock and is noted for collaborations with prominent artists across Nashville, New York City, and Detroit. The band has released studio albums and performed at major festivals and venues, drawing attention from outlets such as Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and NPR Music.

Lead

The Arcs were founded by guitarist and songwriter Dan Auerbach, known for his work with The Black Keys, and feature collaborators who have worked with acts like The Raconteurs, Alabama Shakes, Jack White, and Danger Mouse. Their debut album combined recordings from sessions in studios linked to Sun Studio, Electric Lady Studios, and Easy Eye Sound and included contributions from musicians associated with Memphis, Nashville, and Brooklyn. The group's music attracted interest from critics familiar with the catalogs of Leon Russell, Curtis Mayfield, John Lee Hooker, and The Rolling Stones.

History

The project began after Auerbach's touring and recording activities with The Black Keys and production work for artists such as Alabama Shakes and Ray LaMontagne. Recording sessions brought together session players who had contributed to records by The Black Crowes, Dr. John, Norah Jones, and Hank Williams Jr., with sessions occurring between tours with Arcade Fire and Foo Fighters. The band's debut album was assembled from sessions held in studios associated with producers like Rick Rubin and T Bone Burnett and engineers who worked with Brian Eno and Phil Spector. After initial touring that included appearances at Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Glastonbury Festival, the group entered a hiatus while members resumed projects with The Black Keys, The Raconteurs, and solo careers. The band later reconvened to record a follow-up record, enlisting musicians linked to Wilco, Tom Petty, Paul McCartney, and Neil Young.

Musical Style and Influences

The Arcs' sound draws on soul music traditions associated with Stax Records and Motown Records, the raw aesthetics of garage rock exemplified by The Stooges and MC5, and the psychedelic textures of The Beatles' later work and Pink Floyd. Critics compare production approaches to those of Danger Mouse and Mark Ronson, while songwriting has been likened to storytellers such as Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Van Morrison. The group incorporates elements from blues rock exemplified by Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, and R&B touches reminiscent of Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin. Studio techniques echo methods used by George Martin, Daniel Lanois, and Tom Dowd.

Members

- Dan Auerbach — guitar, vocals; established with The Black Keys, produced Alabama Shakes, collaborated with T Bone Burnett. - Leon Michels — keyboards, saxophone; associated with El Michels Affair and production for Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings. - Nick Movshon — bass; session work with Mark Ronson, Charles Bradley, and Amy Winehouse's collaborators. - Homer Steinweiss — drums; member of Daptone Records house band, worked with Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and The Budos Band. - Richard Swift — multi-instrumentalist and producer (deceased); worked with The Shins, Nathaniel Rateliff, and Taylor Swift's collaborators.

Guest contributors on recordings and tours have included musicians linked to Jack White, Neil Young, The Black Crowes, Calexico, The Raconteurs, and Foxygen.

Discography

- Studio albums: debut album released on Easy Eye Sound produced by Auerbach and collaborators; follow-up album featuring sessions with guest artists from Nashville and Brooklyn. - Notable singles and EPs included collaborations released through Nonesuch Records and specialty vinyl outlets tied to labels like Daptone Records and Third Man Records. - Non-album singles featured guest appearances from artists affiliated with Danger Mouse, Mark Ronson, and members of The Raconteurs.

Tours and Live Performances

The Arcs toured amphitheaters and clubs across North America, Europe, and Australia, appearing at festivals such as Coachella, Glastonbury Festival, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza. Lineups for live shows often included session musicians with credits on records by The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Bruce Springsteen's touring ensembles. Performances were covered by media outlets including BBC Radio 1, KEXP, and Sirius XM.

Reception and Legacy

Critics from Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, The New York Times, and The Guardian praised the band's fusion of retro and contemporary sounds, often noting affinities with Leonard Cohen-era songwriting and the production sensibilities of Danger Mouse and Rick Rubin. The project's members continued to influence contemporary indie rock and soul revival movements through production work and collaborations with artists like Alabama Shakes, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, and Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings. The Arcs are cited in discussions alongside revivalist acts linked to Daptone Records, Stax Records, and modern roots scenes in Nashville and Memphis.

Category:American rock music groups Category:Musical groups from Los Angeles