Tuwa's Shanty and The Roots Canal

Tuesday, July 11, 2006:

The Roots Canal: Grace Potter

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals -- Left Behind
It's strange to start blogging and all of a sudden total strangers start sending you music. I haven't decided yet if it's a privilege or a pain. A little bit of each, I guess. I like hearing new things, but I hate being harassed by professional promoters. Mostly, though, it's just irrelevant, because I don't really listen to much current music unless it's steeped in roots of one sort or another. (With a few idiosyncratic exceptions like the Mountain Goats, whom I adore.)

I guess this is just a long way of expressing my surprise that someone actually sent me something I like. Following in the well-trod footsteps of Bonnie Raitt and Susan Tedeschi, Grace Potter sings soulful rock blues with a woman's touch. She's still a little green around the edges, but she has the right stuff. Personally, I think she does best when she doesn't try too hard, as on this song from her new album and the one they're apparently trying to promote as a single, Toothbrush and My Table. She and her band, The Nocturnals, will be the opening act in a benefit concert at Central Park Summerstage next week. I might just go uptown and catch their act.

Bonus Track: Following Grace on stage will be Galactic, a great funky rhythm band from New Orleans. I'm sorry I don't know Galactic's music better, because I really like what I've heard. (They were at Jazzfest this year but I didn't get to hear them because they were on at the same time as Eddie Bo.) To my ears, they sound a lot like a West Coast acid jazz band I enjoy, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe. Here's a song I picked up a few years ago on a WFUV sampler album. It's also available on their own record, of course.
Galactic -- Running Man
[Nothing but the Water]
[Late for the Future]

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