Thougths on the new record "Grace Potter and the Nocturnals"

[kcortez]

Go ahead and share now that you've heard the full stream.

[kired]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say I like it.

[mtchicagosig]

I have listened to the album about three times now today! I know i have a problem right? I feel like i love it more and more with each listen. I think this album is pure gold and will really help GPN take that next step in the music industry. It was very exciting to hear the studio version of medicine for the first time. I have no doubts that it could easily be the song that helps the band reach super stardom.

[Snowbird]

I like most of it quite a bit. I'll even go ahead and add on to my "like" list for the CD "Only Love" that was previously not a like at all. One difference was hearing Grace sing it live and totally animated last night at Port City. She introduced the song by saying something to the effect of I want to see everyone bouncing and moving to this song, I am not going to be happy until I see this whole room moving, and she launched into a joyful dance while singing with her band mates grooving to the tune all around her. I felt the love.

The room did indeed move to the rhythms ditacted by these talented and fun loving musicians up on the stage in front of us.

I'm going to sound like a broken record, but adding that live picture in my head of the room grooving to this song, while listening to the CD version in it's entirety rather than a snippet made a huge difference for me.

I posted my thoughts on Colors on TIS so I'll just breifly paraphrase here - the CD version is really a beautiful version and I was very nervous about this particular song, as I have such an awesome memory of my first exposure to this song at the intimate Bennington solo show last year. I needn't have been nervous, this is a very subtle treatment of a solo song that was wonderful in it's sparse simplicity when first heard, and only enhanced by it's studio treatment. My only complaint is that mood of this song is very different than the song that follows it - the aforementioned bouncing and grooving Only Love, a different segue would have been my choice - but that's just my impression.

Im pretty confident that many of the fans here will find things they will like in this CD - I know I do - but in the meantime - I'm going to continue to enjoy the live shows, because as I've said many times before - this band is a dish best served and savored live.

[lovestayswithme]

the album is so magnetic, it just makes me want to feel alive, you know? and i love that it's coming out so close to summer too. there is just something electric, beyond the guitars, lol, that screams hot weather to me. it's definitely a change of pace and sound for them, but overall, i'm in love with it upon first listen. and i don't know how because it really does cross decades and genres, but it flows together so smoothly. i can't wait to get a hard copy! i'm banking this will most likely be my favorite album of the year. well, maybe it will tie with high violet by the national. lol.

[PotterFan]

LOVE IT - especially 'Tiny Light' - Hey Grace, I own one of your mom's bowls! ... and my best friend lives in your home town (...and you've met her)... it's a tiny world. Coming to VT to see you 8/14!!

[Wally C]

Our boy Woodward at it again: http://pressrepublican.com/0500_what...ike-a-sell-out
Someone must have spilled his Cheereos or something........

Wally

[malloryf]

Dallas gave it a good grade, but wrote the wrong "V" state!

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...1.2982701.html

[Wally C]

Freaking Woodward is a douche bag and a liar!!

Check out his second sentence:

[Tedheadone]

Yea, and he said you can't hear Cat's bass.....sure.....

[colonelcairo]

I hate to say it, but I have to agree with most of what Garrett Woodward says.

Since the first show I saw her at in '05 (16 shows since), I've been hooked. She and the band create awesome albums and, best of all, are one of the few bands that takes it to another level live. Almost no one out there has the talent (songwriting and performance) that Grace has, that's why I'm so bummed about the album.

When I heard Mark Batson was producing and co-writing the album I was surprised. I'm not of fan of his work with eminem, Gwen Stefani, or Beyonce. Is he talented? Sure, but I always thought his work sounded like he took the artist and tied to mold the sound to what he thought would get the most airplay. When I heard Tiny Light it sounded like it was crafted just that way.

Where I disagree with Woodward is that he almost makes it a bit of a personal attack at Grace when he talks about what she did on this album. Grace should be able to go in whatever direction she wants with her music and has never shied away from the fact that she wants to get big and has always been "Hollywood" (her words not mine).

She and the Nocturals are awesome. I'll be at several shows this summer and I can't wait. Unfortunately I feel like they took Filet Mignon (GPN), ground it into hamburger and repackaged it for sale to the masses with this album. There's still a lot to like because, in the end, it's still Grace and the band, but it just sounds so contrived.

[Wally C]

Colonel, if you were expecting the same energy of a live show, I can understand your point. But this is a studio album. Most bands sound great in the studio but not so good live. GPN is the opposite. I think this album is good and it should appeal to people who have never seen them. I had to call BB last night to straighten out my recent order and I even talked the girl on the phone into buy this CD!! Hopefully she likes, and tells her friends, and so on and so on.............

[tipiboy]

Cat's Bass is What makes me love the new songs! Some of her smokinest lines come in seemingly sedate songs. There's an expression in Vt ... "It's the cats ass!" It will never mean the same thing to me again 8*)

[toofarnorth]

... but it just sounds so contrived.

First . . hi, welcome to the board !

Second . . music is subjective so everyone gets to be 'right' . . (although personal attacks will probably be met with a degree of hostile rebuttal )

Third . . have you been reading any interviews Grace has done ? . . any other reviews ?

I genuinely don't get what you mean by saying the album sounds contrived. Isn't every album contrived in the sense that someone has to decide what goes on it ? which take is the right one ? what order the tracks will be in ? and I'm sure a pile of etceteras I'm oblivious about.

Wondering if it's possible you had a preconceived expectation because of a dislike of Mark Batson's prior work. Have seen some pretty hostile comments from some DMB fans that lead me to believe that could easily happen.

Ran across this interview and remembered it as being an interesting read from thisissomewhere.com. There are quite a few interviews and reviews on TIS . . or can use your favorite search engine to find more if you're interested in reading a variety of viewpoints.
As in virtually every interview I've seen that mentions the recording process, the impression is of openness not of tight control.
Just some food for thought . . .


BLONDE ON BONDS Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
Jun 10, 2010

excerpt

[QUOTE]And every single song on this album was the second or third take at the very least.

[Danado]

I havent listened to the new CD yet. I have been waiting to give it its first listen with my sister Amy. But I have to agree with every word with colonolcairo...except I will end up going to to many more shows. And I will get back with you on my thoughts as we will be smokin ribs and giving this new CD a listen.

[joester]

after a handful of plays now of the new cd-
the first half of the cd really is our favorite part - really liking Goodbye Kiss - Tiny Light pairing,
mine and then Teri's favorite so far - and not sure why that surprises me so much, but so far, our faves.
Colors takes on a whole new feel when having the lyrics in front of you
when listening and singing along - really great lyrics!
a strong and to me, pretty good representation of what they sound like live, for a studio album.
two thumbs up, a genuine 3-snap Z

[Snowbird]

GPN - they're not a jam band - they're a band that can jam

Doesn't your signature line say it, Joester! I think for some the disappointment is just exactly that - they truly are NOT a jam band, but when they do jam, it's amazing.

[joester]

exactly what Teri and were saying last night (as we jammed to the new cd), so this morning I added to my signature.
seems there has been more than a bit of conversation of the "jamband" references, and to us,
the difference is more clear now than ever before of where GPN fits as to that catagory.

[colonelcairo]

Wally C- No I didn't expect it to sound like a live show, you can never capture that in a studio album. Heck you can't even capture it all on a live album, you have to be there. I loved both Nothing But The Water and This Is Somewhere.

toofarnorth - Yes, when I heard Batson was producing the album it automatically put a big question mark in my head about whether or not I would like it. I really feel like you can feel a producer's influence in an album. The same album can be constructed very differently depending on who produces it. And no I don't like Batson's prior stuff, although I must admit his work with DMB is not what I'm most familiar with. On top of that, you will REALLY feel the influence of a producer when the record company tells the artist that they want them to co-write the whole album with the producer.

Here's what I meant by contrived - contrived to get top 40 radio airplay. That doesn't have to be always a good or bad thing, record companies need to make money, artists want to sell records, and great music can be on top 40 radio. I do not mean to come off too negatively about it, just trying to put across my point. Batson is a guy you bring in to help do this to an upcoming artist, especially when you urge the artist to co-write the album with him. When I listen to the album I hear 3/4 GPN 1/4 Hollywood records. I simply don't like that 1/4.

Like you said, everyone gets an opinion and no one's is wrong because music is subjective. I don't know Grace, Batson, or anyone else involved in the process of creating the album so I have no clue how or why it all came together. All I'm saying is what I hear when I listen to it. Everyone will hear things slightly differently. I still think GPN is phenomenal, will continue buying albums, and continue supporting them at shows. I just hope that with the next album they go back to having Grace write the whole thing rather than pairing her up with someone else. In this instance I thought the someone else hurt the project.

[joester]

colonelcairo -
your statement: "I don't know Grace, Batson, or anyone else involved in the process of creating the album so I have no clue how or why it all came together."
there are a LOT of interviews out there where the production of this CD and how it came together are talked about in detail -
I suggest you seek those out, read them all, and the whole series of events may become more clear to you.
from working in L.A. with T Bone, Bonaroo 2009, White Rabbit(go ask Alice), to this release this week, all described in a way where it makes sense.
as to my tastes, I have no listening interest in what work he (Batson) produced prior to GPN, not my type of music(eminem, Gwen Stefani, or Beyonce) -
but he is a pro, and I like the end result of this cd.
there are no wrong opinions, but a well-informed one strikes up a better vantage for the discussion.