The Deal: Vermont-based rockers release third effort to growing fan base.
The Good: When I saw the band on Good Morning America in August, my immediate thought was, “Who is that?!? and why haven’t I heard them before?” It’s hard to believe this is their third album, though the maturity and experience shines through. There are tinges of piano, at times along the lines of Norah Jones or Tori Amos, at others leaning toward Janis Joplin or Edie Brickell. Potter’s voice finds rasp in the right moments and the band — with former Whiskeytown guitarist Mike Daly — kicks things up when necessary. Their self-made debut was released in 2004 with Nothing but the Water coming out in ’06. I prefer the up-tempo tracks to the mellow on the album, but as a whole it’s a solid effort. Others call it “roots rock,” I’ll just call it worth checking out.
The Bad: Hmmm … maybe that the closest they’re playing to Charlotte is Winston-Salem in October? (They’ll pair nicely with Gov’t. Mule though.)
The Verdict: A breath of fresh air in a pop-saturated world.
This article appears in Sep 26 – Oct 2, 2007.
