Artist of the Week

One of my greatest passions in life is MUSIC. So each week (I guess on Thursdays) I would like to feature a band that I am particularly interested in and talk about their past and which songs I like and other things. This week I am going to feature an extremely talented band called Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. I have been listening to them since last summer, and I heard about them at Bonnaroo 2010. They can do both softer or harder rock, and they have blues, folkish and sometimes countryish vibes. One of the things I love most about them is that they do not really fit into one genre. I truly enjoy the vocals, and I love pretending that I can sing like her in the car. Grace Potter has such a strong but beautiful voice. The vocals are definitely the strongest part of the band, but that is not to say the instrumentals are lacking in the least.

 Grace Potter also plays both electric and acoustic guitar, and piano. (My kind of gal!). Scott Tournet plays the guitars (including slide) and the harmonica. The drummer is Matthew Burr and Catherine Popper is on bass guitar and vocals. Bryan Dondero also played the bass guitar, upright bass and mandolin, but he left the band in 2009. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals formed in 2002 when drummer Matthew Burr saw Grace performing folk songs at a small club at St. Lawrence University. Later in 2003 invited Tournet to join the group and they became Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.  In 2004 Grace released Soul 2005 Grace Potter and the Nocturnals released Nothing But the Water (an album that I personally LOVE). They have released 3 other albums and in 2010 they released their newest one self titled Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. This album was #5 on iTunes top 100 albums. Their songs have been featured in shows like Grey's Anatomy, ER, and One Tree Hill and they have opened for Dave Matthews Band. In 2009 they performed at Bonnaroo and in 2010 their song "Almost Alice" appeared in Tim Burtons Alice and Wonderland. One thing I love is Grace's inspiration. She loves bands like Tom Petty and The Kinks. If I do end up going to Bonnaroo this summer Grace Potter and the Nocturnals will be one of the bands I will REALLY be looking forward to see! 

Here is the music video for one of their harder songs, as well as one of my personal favorites, Paris (Ooh La La). 

I love the 1920's feel, as well as the harder rock sound. Grace is a wonderful performer, and has one of the strongest, clearest female vocals that I have heard.

I would recommend listening to "Treat Me Right", "Ragged Company" "Apologies" and my personal favorite "Lose Some Time".

Also vote for them in MTV's March Madness (and also support another favorite band of mine: No Doubt. Unfortunately I love Paramore as well, but they need to be around a little longer to compete with No Doubt. I saw both of them last summer. It was an absolutely stunning time.) 

You can vote at this link: 

http://newsroom.mtv.com/2011/03/16/march-madness-paramore-no-doubt-kings-of-leon-grace-potter/?utm_campaign=GUF&utm_medium=Argyle%20Social&utm_source=twitter&utm_term=2011-03-17-14-29-00&mobile=true

We do not want Kings of Leon to win! I have also seen them in concert as well, and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals have so more talent and they more personal with their performances!!