Most of their material comes from traditional sources.
Many songs have dark undertones, tales of death and misery and lives gone wrong.
But there are also gospel shouts, jug band stomps, and old-time fiddle romps to soften the edge. Tarbox sings and hollers with a strong, sinewy, emotional voice. His fingerpicked electric guitar can buzz with an ominous drone, sting with a nasty bite, or jump through perky old tunes. After three years of honing their sound in Boston-area bars, they've recently released their first CD, the highly acclaimed Tarbox Ramblers on Rounder Records. Tarbox explained with a grin last June, over a pint in a Cambridge pub.