Grace Potter and The Nocturnals - Nothing But The Water (2006)

Grace Potter and The Nocturnals are a rock and roll band that is obviously in love with the blues. Potter, who was only twenty-two when this CD was recorded, is a student of rock and roll's great white blues ladies. Her voice is a lot smoother than Janis Joplin's, rougher than Bonnie Raitt's, and she mixes a little Susan Tedeschi in the stew for good measure. Potter also has a top notch band. The Nocturnals manage to sound spontaneous and loose while playing songs that have well thought out arrangements. Her Hammond B-3 organ adds color to almost every track.

While Raitt and Joplin often interpreted other people's songs Potter and the band, who specialize in songs about love gone bad, have written a disc full of originals. Lyrically Potter has an edge to her that makes this typical radio friendly subject come alive. The opening track "Toothbrush and My Table" sets the mood. The relationship is over and all the singer wants from the whole affair is her stuff back, including her J .J. Cale CD, her toothbrush, and her table. She is hurt and angry but there is no sentimentality, no mention of wishing for his return, no begging for his love. On "Joey" Potter sings about another broken relationship, but this time it turned violent, and the singer has obtained a court order to keep her former lover away.

This CD is highly recommended. If you turn up your nose because Potter isn't Janis Joplin you'll be missing out on a whole lot of good music.

Nothing But The Water was originally released in 2005 but it was repackaged with a 40 minute DVD last year.

Comments

  1. Anonymous8:04 PM, February 03, 2007

    If it's true that you have to suffer to sing the blues, Grace must have suffered something awful. This album is not to be missed by fans of Raitt, Susan Tedeschi, or Janis.

    ReplyDelete

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