With the release of a new album, It Ain’t a Thing, New Potato Caboose has nimbly found a way to weave together the band’s long history in the jamband scene with their current drive for songcraft and groove to deliver a breakthrough release that
captures their signature sound. The roots of New Potato Caboose stretch back to the early days of the jam scene, trading shows and sharing stages with the likes of Blues Traveler, Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews Band, and legendary ground-floor acts
such as The Band and the Neville Brothers. As the first band ever to play the iconic Wetlands venue in NYC, NPC was featured in the Sundance documentary, Wetlands Preserved. By the early ‘90’s, the group was playing over 200 dates a year and garnering writeups in Pollstar, Billboard, and Variety. They’re currently performing at high-end venues such as Baltimore Soundstage, The National, and The Hamilton, bringing their superb live act to a fervent fan base.
It was at a recent concert where the inspiration for a new album came up. The vibe was so sweet that the band was struck by a mutual “a-ha moment” and set the wheels in motion on a project that would include unrecorded gems, live favorites, and brand new songs. The band was fortunate that John Alagia (Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Ben Folds, Lukas Nelson) was inspired to produce the project, tapping into the music scene roots they all share. John also brought in a talented team from the Red Light Management/DMB family, including engineering wizard Jeff Moxley (Blues Traveler, Plain White T’s, The Chainsmokers) and L.A. mastering ace Whynot Jansveld (The Wallflowers, Sara Bareilles, Crash Test Dummies). The band and production team lived and recorded together at Haunted Hollow, Dave Matthews’ private studio in
Charlottesville, VA.
The final product is It Ain’t a Thing, a snapshot that manages to capture both NPC’s origins and the magic that is happening now. As a crowd-funded, independently-produced album, Caboose fans will share a huge part in its success. On It Ain’t a Thing, you can hear the band deftly roll in influences from the laid-back party vibe of Little Feat, the mystic innovation of the Grateful Dead, the shimmering vocals of Crosby, Stills and Nash, and the relatable earthiness of The Band. These elements are interpreted and shaped by the extraordinary talents of members Doug Pritchett (acoustic guitar, vocals), Don Laux (rhythm guitar, vocals), John “Red” Redling (keyboards, vocals), Tim Pruitt (lead guitar, vocals), Mike Mahoney (bass), and the powerful double drums sound of John Trupp and John McConnell. Mix in the savvy
original songwriting of the band, and the skill of the production team, and the result is a wide-ranging sound that is uniquely New Potato Caboose.
The album pulls tunes from the full spectrum of NPC’s career arc. The classic songs long loved by live audiences include the gritty rocker “Hey Now Julia”; the ethereal heart-grabber “Accidental Ecstasy”; the grunge-infused “Brave New World”, and the punchy roller coaster ride “New Potato Stew”. The middle-era songs written after the band took a break from touring: the playful, bumpin’ “Duke of Awesome”; the lush soundscape of “Shine”; and the fun-loving “Weed”. The brand new songs were conceived especially for this project and represent NPC’s current outlook on life, love and living, featuring the swamp-jam title track “It Ain’t a Thing”; the southern-rock love song “Georgia Angel”; the dusky and defiant “The Whisper”; and the exquisite and complex “What’s the Real”, which champions the concept that life is at its basis, whatever you make of it.
New Potato Caboose - Official Website
It Ain't a Thing - New Potato Caboose
SUPPORT FROM RAE AND THE RAGDOLLS
Rae and the Ragdolls are an eclectic band of rock and rollers who make magic in the studio and on stage. Writing and performing a blend of styles, they are not confined to any genre and have something for everyone to boogie down to. Hailing from the metro-Atlanta area, Rae and the Ragdolls have been on lineups with greats like Nick Perri and the Underground Thieves, The Velveteers, Starcrawler, Larkin Poe, Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown, Drive-By Truckers, and Mavis Staples. The band consists of Rae G. Biv, Willie Bennett Jr., Spencer Lingle, Olivia Towe, and Josh Newton.
Tickets $25 advance/$30 door
Please use 1003 Holcomb Woods Parkway, Roswell, GA 30076 for GPS directions. Facing the restaurant, head left in the parking lot and then right to the parking lot behind From the Earth next to the PGA Superstore. Plenty of on-site parking next to the venue area!
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