Every one of her albums is better but this is a young band and getting better all the time.

If you go see them perform this same material live I think you will be suprised at how much better her singing is and how much more punch and character the songs here are.

I really feel like they maybe need to take another year and then go back and do a live album that has most of the songs on her previous albums because I don't think the albums do them justice. The production is not so hot and the band and Grace are way more polished now.

I think she's in her 20's and most of the band is young. If they keep improving like they have she will end up being one of the top 10 female rockers of all time.

I'll basically be echoing the comments left by the others here, but I still gotta have my two cents!

I bought "Nothing But the Water" a few months ago on an impulse. I had first heard about Grace Potter a few months before that, but I never followed through on finding out who she was as a musician until I bought "NBtW". I had a crush on this girl as soon as I heard "Toothbrush and My Table" and couldn't get enough of her. "NBtW" also came with a short DVD of 3 or so songs in a live performance. The way she tossed her hair and went crazy on stage and played that B3 made me want to marry that girl right there. Perhaps it's the that she's young and sexy, perhaps it's that she's a great songwriter; what really blows my mind is the confidence and maturity with which she writes. The fact that she is writing and singing about the things that she is shows that she's run the gamut of life already. Unlike a lot of performers with stage presence and a good voice, Grace Potter brings a healthy helping of songs that actually mean something.

"This Is Somewhere" is definitely different from "NBtW." It feels more produced and heavier than "NBtW," but Grace and her band don't lose any of their integrity. Highlights from this album: "Apologies", "Ain't No Time", "Mastermind", and, by far my favorite, "Big White Gate."

Also, definitely check out "Original Soul"! Can't miss that one.

Mastermind is probably my favorite song, but to hear these songs LIVE is really what makes listening to the CD even better.
buy the CD, get familiar with the music listening with your friends, and then go see the band live somewhere.
once you're hooked, go see one of the "Posse" members (fans who help support the band), and ask them for more information, they'll be glad to help you out.
and the day "after" your first concert - you'll start wearing this CD out, listening to it so much.

This album can easily be considered Grace Potter and the Nocturnals' greatest effort to date. Although they're noted for their energetic jam oriented performances, I believe the band's talent's shine the brightest in their studio recordings. In a carefully controlled studio environment, the band is more immune to the negative influences that inject sloppiness and narcissism into their live shows, which is likely caused by a demanding small pub/club touring schedule as well as drug and alcohol abuse.

As bright as Grace Potter and the Nocturnals' star shines at the moment on the local/regional music scene, it is quite dim when compared to any of the legends that they so carefully attempt to emulate. Instead of a fresh group with a fresh sound, they simply re-hash what others have done much better and offer nothing new or innovative to the equation.

Their songs suffer from mediocre lyrics and sub-par harmonic structures, all of which are clearly designed more for lengthy jam band performances than a succinct expression of song. However, adding too many notes and lengthening the songs in a live setting only worsen the problems.

On this album, Grace Potter's singing is rather flat and lacks both range and versatility. Every tune pretty much sounds like the previous one. Grace's poorly executed pseudo-southern tinged accent fails to offer her any credibility in the southern blues/rock genre and only amplifies her shortcomings. Listening to each song only makes you ponder how much better it would sound if it were sung by Bonnie Raitt, or Etta James, or Bessie Smith.

Overall, this album lacks the same sense of maturity and taste that plague the band in other areas. For instance, goofy publicity photos of orange parking cones on their heads seems to be on par with the band's musical adolescence and apparent lack of understanding of true soul and blues music.

In short, pick up any Bonnie Raitt album to hear the Grace Potter and the Nocturnals sound cooked to perfection. With Raitt's soulful voice and guitar (backed by New Orleans piano master Jon Cleary) you don't need anything else. As for Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, give them 20 years and perhaps one day they'll see the light.

The new album by GP&N is a tremendous journey. Stop whatever your doing, put on your headphones and just listen, they will take you "somewhere", and the place your going is a great place to be.

At first listen this is a solid rock album. Period. Its great stuff. But as you listen to it the second and third time it begins to reveal its real magic. The recording is just right, its crisp and intimate. This is where the headphones come in, put them on and just listen to the album, the tracks : "Apologies", "You may see me", "Lose some time" tell an intimate tale and Grace sings them that way. The tracks "Oh Mary", "MR Columbus" & "Mastermind" are great rock songs with powerful messages that hit you in different ways at different times, So this is a journey you can take again & again and its fresh each time. I find myself getting stuck on different tracks on different days, I like that. This album has replay value times 10.

Grace has the "it" that is so rare,and she's brave enough to share herself with the listener. The Nocturnals are are solid band and they balance and enhance her vocals just right. I don't sense egos in there arrangements or playing. They play what needs to be there and no more. Balanced. Thus the Magic. I recommend this album, a cold beer, oh, and don't forget the headphones.