The Good Graces

There are things you never get too old for: laughter, puppies, learning something new, dancing to a favorite song. Then there are things you do get too old for, like constantly being played by someone you're in a relationship with. That's the basis of "Too Old for This," one of the simpler-sounding songs on Set Your Sights, the upcoming fourth album from Georgia indie collective the Good Graces.

Throughout the album, vocalist Kim Ware (who helped get the group together in 2006) maintains the heart-on-your-sleeve, emotional rollercoaster class of writing she proliferates on her previous albums. Jumping between elements of folk, indie, and ambient music (with some church bells and steel pedal guitar in there too) Ware and company have created an album that will appeal to fans of bands like Cayetana or Bright Eyes without ever feeling like folk music is being forced down their throats. That's a tough line to toe, and the Good Graces do it well. "I just appreciate so many types of music," she says. "I think it [the album] has heart, and it really spans the spectrum of emotions."

"Set Your Sights is about focusing on what's important, what's good, what's honest and what's real," Ware says of the album. "As a record, it can be a little all over the place I guess, genre-wise, but if it were one-note, that wouldn't have been as honest a reflection of me."

Listeners might be hesitant at first to experience the whiplash of going from a song like the more ambient and acoustic "Out There"—which feels a lot like a Bright Eyes outtake—to "Broke in Two," a swinging and soulful tune that could have come from any town east of the Mississippi. A soaring guitar and searing steel intro means the song feels more in the vein of the Eagles than anything else. The fact that it doesn't feel out of place at all on the record is a testament to Ware's talent.

Thought it's the group's fourth album, that doesn't mean Ware didn't experience her share of jitters working on it. "It was sometimes daunting," Ware says. "It was my first time working with Jonny Daly, who produced the record with me. I often felt like I was under a microscope and it was easy to fall into being really self-critical, especially at first. But the longer we worked on it the more it became clear that being real meant focusing on that honesty rather than perfection. So that's what I tried to really go for -- that emotional, real take rather than the perfect one."

It's that emotional, real take that makes the album that much more personal. Set Your Sights is out tomorrow, July 7, but you can stream it below now. - Noisey

Led by frontwoman Kim Ware, the Good Graces are prepping to release their new record, Set Your Sights on July 7th. Filled with atmospheric Americana and lush indie-folk tracks, the reflective set is set apart by Ware’s warbling Southern drawl (recalling early Sonia Leigh) confessional lyrics. Thematically, the album explores getting older, looking back on your life and trying to correct missteps - a heartfelt attempt at redemption and reconciliation that Ware describes as her “midlife crisis record.” The new single, "Broke in Two", is a poignant ballad lamenting lost love that is propelled by lap steel, organ, and Ware's bewitching vocals which convey the dispirited emotion of the tune in a way that's palpable.

Ware had this to say of the track:

"Broke in Two" was the first song I wrote as we were finishing up the last record, "Close to the Sun," and it didn't quite make it on that one. It's one of the oldest on the new record, so I guess that's why it kinda evolved so much, from a simple strummy sad tune, to even more melancholy -- for a while it was finger-picked in the verses - and then finally back to strummy and rocking. Jonny Daly (producer/guitarist) had a real vision with this one and he tracked multiple guitar parts. He'd record something, send it over to me, and then a day or two later he'd scrap it. For a minute he ditched the pedal steel at the beginning for an electric lead, but I just loved the steel being prominent on this one and I really felt like it fit the mood I was going for so I talked him into bringing it back.

Anyone that knows me can probably tell right away what this one is about. I went through a pretty tumultuous breakup - gosh it's been like over 10 years ago now - but I still find myself reflecting on what went wrong and just trying to figure it all out. I'm not sure I ever will, and every song that I write about it is a little different, but this one is sort of me saying I'm sorry but also letting myself off the hook a little bit; we both neglected the relationship in a lot of ways so I think ultimately I probably don't deserve all the blame that we both sorta put on me. The end of a relationship just sucks all around." For more information visit HERE. - No Depression

Atlanta's the Good Graces could be considered lucky - but it's not luck. For Kim Ware's crew, the harder they work, the luckier they get. After releasing the excellent Close to the Sun (Fort Lowell Records) last fall, the buzz grew for the Good Graces. So, it's really no surprise that fellow Atlantans and global superstars Indigo Girls have invited tGG to join them on the road for a few shows this summer.

Ware told Examiner.com that album co-producer Rob Dyson "...has done some work with Emily (Saliers of Indigo Girls). We were wrapping up the record and he shared 'Cold in California,' and I think a few other songs with her. He had really taken a liking to that one in particular, and thought she might like it too. I guess she did! That was last fall and while it took a while to come together we got the invite about a month or so ago."

Good Graces fans have been rejoicing since the news was made public, knowing this band deserves the opportunity to gain exposure on a broader scale. "Honestly," Ware continued, "I had not really expected it, even though Emily had loosely mentioned it to Rob. I was just very humbled and honored that she had even given my song a listen. That we're actually going to open for them is too amazing for me to even put into words, really."

So, if you're one of the lucky ones reading this and are seeing the Indigo Girls with the Good Graces this summer, well, bless you. It will be an evening of great music from two bands whose paths have crossed for your benefit. For more information on the tour, visit the Good Graces and go to tGG's Bandcamp page to listen/buy. - Examiner

The Indigo Girls are the stars, but their opening act, The Good Graces, is sure to burn brightly enough to win hordes of new Chattanooga fans.

Founder Kim Ware was a drummer for dozens of punk-rock bands in the 1990s and even married her bass player. But it wasn’t until she bought a flea market guitar that she discovered a gift for writing witty, haunting lyrics. Then she recruited musician friends to form The Good Graces, a group the Indigo Girls handpicked to be the opening act on their current two-week tour.

“I was already a Cat Power fan when I bought my guitar and I was listening to a lot of Liz Phair when I learned to play it,” says Ware, 42, in a recent phone interview.

Those confident, strong rocker chicks and Phair’s spare but resonating lyrics inspired Ware, who also cites Juliana Hatfield, First Aid Kit, Rilo Kiley, The Decemberists, The Velvet Underground, Yo La Tengo and Neko Case as influences.

“As a drummer, I was responsible for a few elements of a song; playing the guitar, the words and melody would just flow from me until I had created an entire song,” Ware says. “I wrote enough songs for a complete album, but honestly I would have been happy just playing for my dogs.”

As an indie-folk collective, The Good Graces rotates through various musicians depending on the show or project. Album “Close to the Sun” featured Robert Dyson on bass, John McNicholas on guitar, Michael Roman on electric piano and Kendra Rainey on trumpet.

Dyson often works with one of the two Indigo Girls, Emily Saliers. When the Girls were looking for an opening act for their summer 2015 tour, Dyson suggested The Good Graces would complement the Girls’ folk-rock sound. The Indigo Girls listened and agreed.

All of The Good Graces work day jobs and had to get permission to go on a tour with the band. When Ware told her boss at WebMD, “she screamed with joy then almost cried she was so happy for me,” Ware says. “Yeah, she is a very cool boss.”

Contact Lynda Edwards at ledwards@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6391. - Chattanooga Now

Handpicked by The Indigo Girls as the opening band, the four-piece indie-folk collective The Good Graces had kicked off the night, appropriately enough, with “Under The Weather.” The Atlanta-based group brought heartfelt raw emotion to songs such “Cold in California” from their latest album, “Close To The Sun,” as well as older tunes such as “Summer of ’93.”
The set also served as a celebration of lead singer Kim Ware’s birthday, which she exclaimed was the “best birthday ever.”
- See more at: http://localspins.com/delta-blues-first-97lav-summertime-blues-at-deltaplex-draws-impressive-turnout-indigo-girls-rev-up-fans-in-return-to-meijer-gardens/#sthash.FbzMSeAJ.dpuf - LocalSpins.com

The Good Graces, an Atlanta-based indie band, will perform Sunday at the Red Light Café, 553 Amsterdam Ave. in Atlanta, as part of its national tour. The group will perform with Love Me 'Til My Heart Stops and Garner Sloan.

The Good Graces were handpicked by the Indigo Girls to open their 2015 summer tour. They've recently won the Searchlight song competition from In Search of a Song, a national radio series that interviews artists on songwriting. They also played Toronto's NXNE fest last year.

To listen to their new 11-song album, “Close to the Sun,” visit https://soundcloud.com/thegoodgraces/sets/close-to-the-sun-full-stream/s-YUmX7.

The band has received strong reviews from several publications.

“Literally takes the breath away at times on this song cycle of love discovered, experienced, fractured, reaffirmed, then surrendered,” said a review by Blurt.

“Emotionally impressive, intellectually rewarding, and aesthetically pleasing. Ware has done an incredible job pulling together genre-subverting arrangements and lyrics with beautiful vocals, resulting in an album that is hard to stop listening to.” - Independent Clauses

“A sonic dream, with beautiful instrumentation to complement Ware’s matter-of-fact vocals.” - Examiner

“Simplicity turns magical in the capable hands of The Good Graces, who manages to be both touching and unflinchingly honest, with songs whose subtle, smooth delivery and sincerity is somewhat comparable to Georgia Hubley’s own with Yo La Tengo.” - Stomp and Stammer

“A hint of Cat Power's aching vulnerability and Juliana Hatfield's skewed pop sensibility.” - Toronto Star

Tickets are $5 in advance or $7 at the door. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Information: www.redlightcafe.com



Read more: Neighbor Newspapers - Good Graces to perform at Red Light Café - Neighbor Newspapers

When record producer and studio owner, Rob Dyson, of Wizkid Sound in Atlanta, GA let Emily Saliers of The Indigo Girls hear the Good Graces‘ track “Cold in California,” little did he know he would be making dreams come true for Kim Ware of the Good Graces. Just a few months later, and now the Good Graces have been personally invited by Emily Saliers to join The Indigo Girls on their summer tour.
5/23 – Eddie’s Attic – Decatur, GA with Lucas Mire’
6/14 – The East Room – Nashville, TN with Granville Automatic and Wyatt Espalin
6/16 – Daytrotter Session – Rock Island, IL
6/16 – Second Unitarian Church – Chicago, IL
6/17 – Meijer Gardens – Grand Rapids, MI with The Indigo Girls
6/18 – Old Dog Tavern – Kalamazoo, MI with Valentiger
6/19 – Summer Festival (Power Center) – Ann Arbor, MI with The Indigo Girls
6/22 – Preservation Pub – Knoxville, TN
6/23 – The Orange Peel – Asheville, NC with The Indigo Girls
6/24 – Track 29 – Chattanooga, TN with The Indigo Girls
6/25 – (TBA) – Mobile, AL with The Indigo Girls
ADDITIONAL TOUR DATES
FORT LOWELL RECORDS SHOWCASE:
7/24 – Burro Bar – Jacksonville, FL
with moyamoya, Hey Mandible, and Tracy Shedd
7/25 – New World Brewery – Tampa, FL with Tracy Shedd - Movement Magazine

4 / 5 stars

BY FRED MILLS

It’s an exquisitely chosen band name, this Good Graces; for while frontwoman Kim Ware, of Atlanta, has been compared (favorably, and for the most part, accurately) to Juliana Hatfield, Liz Phair and Kristin Hersh, there’s an ineffable goodness and grace evidenced here that literally takes the breath away at times on this songcycle of love discovered, experienced, fractured, reaffirmed, then surrendered. Perhaps we should add devastation to that description, because at the end of the album the narrator/protagonist finds herself accepting the inevitable: it’s over.

As abetted by guitarist John McNicholas plus a host of talented players that includes producer Rob Dyson on bass, synth and programming on a number of tracks, Ware tip-toes across a minefield of emotions at once literal (in “Parts > Sum” she sings, “I have been untrue/ My actions have hurt everyone/ But mostly they’ve hurt you”) and metaphorical (“Ever feel like you’re a loaded gun?” she queries, in “My Own Grace,” later adding, in “Under the Weather,” almost as an aside, “I’ve always loved the summer/ Even though I tend to burn.”

Blood On the Tracks and Shoot Out the Lights fans, take note.

As with all classic breakup albums, though, the music is what keeps the listener riveted no matter how unsettling the lyrics may be. Early on, in “Cold in California,” a thrumming, jangly arrangement (plus some unexpectedly jaunty harmonica) lets the sun shine in; the elegant waltztime of the aforementioned “Under the Weather,” what with its stately piano and brief-but-uplifting trumpet interjections, offers additional optimistic solace. The solo number “Shea,” just Ware and her strummed electric guitar, which summons the aforementioned Phair notion, is similarly chummy. And with searing raveup “Standing In Line” the artist locates herself as a power pop maven of estimable power—grace, even—to the point of making the tune a shoo-in for indie-pop mixtapes of the future.

Actually, make that mixtapes for now: time to drag that old cassette deck out of the attic and fire it up.

DOWNLOAD: “Cold In California,” “Standing In Line,” “Parts > Sum” - Blurt

Close to the Sun is a brilliant collection of acoustic-led tunes across a number of genres. ... the overall product comes together in a way that is emotionally impressive, intellectually rewarding, and aesthetically pleasing. Ware has done an incredible job pulling together genre-subverting arrangements and lyrics with beautiful vocals, resulting in an album that is hard to stop listening to. If you’re into acoustic-led music, Close to the Sun should very much be on your to-hear list. - Independent Clauses

Searchlight winner Kim Ware - The Good Graces with her song "Under The Weather". This is a short feature interview about her influences, music, and the inspiration behind her song. - PRX / In Search of a Song

5 stars

Kim Ware’s on-again indie folk project has served up a little slice of heaven for the Atlanta music scene (and the world). The album is a sonic dream, with beautiful instrumentation to complement Ware’s matter-of-fact vocals. Track one is “I Don’t Know Where to Start” and the listener should be glad about that. It’s a dream pop gem that ends way too prematurely. “Cold in California” is a hit-worthy tune about getting over that certain someone, spiced up nicely with harmonica and banjo (“I rearranged the furniture I even sold my bed / But I’ll have to buy a brand new house to get you out of my head”).

Throughout Close to the Sun, Ware wears her heart on her sleeve while acing a mysterious vibe. There is some genre warping that usually doesn’t fit in one album, but it works for the Good Graces. Even “Parts > Sum” – with its Riders in the Sky feel – is a winner. The all-out rocker “Standing in Line” makes you wonder how this is an indie folk band. Ware’s drumming gives this thing a real heartbeat and if you’re not hooked by now, check your pulse.

But mostly, Sun is an exquisite composition that pushes and pulls your emotions to the point that it must be heard again and again. Comparisons have been made to Liz Phair and Lucinda Williams, but tGG come out of the gate with a sound all their own. Recorded between winter 2013 and spring 2014, spread out from Chapel Hill, NC to Atlanta, GA, the new record (yes, it’s on vinyl!), is about to get into many heads. The band members add a zest to this sound that improves with each listen.

Check out tGG’s Bandcamp page for a listen, then visit their record label Fort Lowell Records to buy Close to the Sun – for the terrific music as well as the brilliant album cover (and you guessed it, that’s an Album88 sticker on Ware’s guitar case). Oh, yeah, Facebook is involved. Ignore that whole Icarus thing and get Close to the Sun now. You will not be sorry. - examiner.com

Simplicity turns magical in the capable hands of The Good Graces, whose new album Close to the Sun manages to be both touching and unflinchingly honest, with songs whose subtle, smooth delivery and sincerity is somewhat comparable to Georgia Hubley’s own with Yo La Tengo. - Stomp and Stammer

"Close to the Sun is solid and Ware demonstrates great confidence in her musical and vocal delivery. It is albums like this that makes me love this genre even more." - Get It on Vinyl

"Ware is a highly skilled songwriter with highly astute assessments of the intricacies of human relationships." - Jersey Beat

"As on 2013’s Drawn to You, she’s backed by a proficient posse, including the album’s two engineers Jay Manley and Rob Dyson on various instruments (Dyson also mixed and co-produced, with Ware), guitarists John McNicholas and David Minchew, and pianist/keyboardist Michael Roman. Though it shares many of the same characteristics as the radiant Drawn, Close manages to outshine it, thanks to more buoyant production and diverse arrangements. ... As on past releases, Ware deftly turns disillusioning dalliances into encouraging and enriching music." - The Big Takeover

5. THE GOOD GRACES

"Over It"

There's a hint of Cat Power's aching vulnerability and Juliana Hatfield's skewed pop sensibility in this affecting track from Atlanta-based singer-songwriter Kim Ware. Equal parts resignation ("Some things really just aren't meant to last") and rationalization ("Sometime to get a win it takes a loss"), it is also savvy enough to recognize the impact of a few well-placed handclaps. (Thanks to Toronto's Snob's Music blog for pointing the way. From Sunset Over Saxapahaw, myspace.com/thegoodgraces) - John Sakamoto Toronto Star

For some of us out there, The Good Graces might be the greatest fucking band in the world! For every flannel wearing, soul searching, obsessive coffee drinking fool (myself included), Kim Ware and company have created a “bomb” tribute to happy times during misery. That, and more specifically, the 1990’s. It’s getting to that time in our lives where the end of the last millennium needs to have a properly built sense of nostalgia amongst the middle aged and dying. And Bring On The Tambourines! is a beautiful album even without pop culture references from the good ole days. - Fence Post

Atlanta indie folk/pop act The Good Graces is the new project from Kim Ware, the former drummer for Mary O. Harrison and the woman behind Eskimo Kiss Records. In The Good Graces she fulfills the secret dream of drummers everywhere, abandoning her kit in favor of a guitar and lead vocals (along with John McNicholas on guitar and Jim Combs on keys). The result is their catchy and compelling debut album Sunset Over Saxapahaw (which was released in October 2008) with explorations of relationships, self-worth, and bitter break-ups.

As The Good Graces, Ware's sound and delivery remind me most directly of acts like Liz Phair and (especially) The Mountain Goats, with her energy much more focused on capturing an emotional tone than a perfect performance. The lyrics tend to concentrate on romantic relationships, whether ongoing (e.g., "Already Broken"), or at their end (e.g., "Over It"). While this is a well-worn path for pop music, The Good Graces have delivered a very good record that examines these issues with a unique new voice. Ware is skilled at writing catchy hooks, and several of the album's songs are memorable after just a listen or two. "You and Me and Our Ghost" is a personal favorite, as is the ode to autobiography "Who We Are." It's a promising debut, and I hope there is more to come in the near future. - Cable & Tweed

Offering up five tracks worth of nicely harmonic and humorous pop-rock songs in a snappy and straightforward fifteen minutes, this pleasingly jaunty EP CD certainly hits the tart and tuneful spot. Kim Ware’s warm, inviting voice and sharp, witty songwriting make for a potent double whammy. The wickedly funny and profane lyrics do the amusingly sardonic trick as well, with “Bad Driver” and “I Miss the 90s” rating as definite gut-busting highlights. The group’s firm grasp of catchy melodies qualifies as another major asset. But it’s this band’s winningly snarky sense of cynical humor which in turn makes this CD such a treat to listen to. - Joe Wawyrzniak - Jersey Beat

Reminiscent of Kimya Dawson’s work in Moldy Peaches, [Summer of '93] has a simple chord progression and a simple chorus, but it never feels derivative. Written in such a way that practically anyone can identify and appreciate, the best thing about this song is that it’s universal and catchy. If the rest of the album is this pleasing and easy to soak in, the Good Graces may just be ready to break out in the Atlanta scene. - Latest Disgrace

Long term relationships are complicated. I suspect that to ‘do’ them successfully you need to find beauty in the mundane and the routine. For many couples that I observe, those patterns that form over time (the ‘doing the washing up’ together moments) become central to their happiness.

That’s why this song by The Good Graces from Atlanta is so utterly charming. Love isn’t all about buying flowers and shagging all night on a rug in front of a fire whilst toasting marshmallows (though I’m sure this does no harm either). For lead singer and main songwriter, Kim Ware, it’s much more about taking the bins out.

The Good Graces describe themselves as providing ‘minimalist, catchy folk pop of heartbreak and hope.’ They’ve been going since 2007 and have a few, tender and lo-fi records to their name. Initial album, ‘Sunset over Saxapahaw’ has been labelled a post-divorce record which a quick listen on Spotify confirms. ‘Before You Go’ comes (I think) from a much happier place with Kim now able to appreciate the minutiae that leads to happy relations.

I’ve got a general weakness for the twee and I spent a good few years in Bristol appreciating ‘Sarah Records’ so it’s no surprise that The Good Graces are floating my Sunday morning boat. - Sonic Breakfast

Atlanta-based duo The Good Graces followed, performing, as they put it, “minimalist, catchy folk pop tunes of heartbreak and hope.” A perfect act to follow Tracy Shedd, this charming band reminded me of Kathleen Edwards and The Mountain Goats. As I listened to the highlights of their set, guitarist John McNicholas’s “Warm in Wisconsin” and singer Kim Ware’s response entitled “Cold in California,” I was struck by how the venue’s layout could make a gathering of 30 or 40 people feel almost like a packed house. - VisitRaleigh.com

anfang des jahres machten wir folgenden vermerk zu the good graces: "wem kim ware noch kein begriff ist, dem sei die dame aus atlanta wärmstens ans herz gelegt. ihr minimalistischer folk hat eine tauglichkeit, die ihresgleichen sucht. ich wäre versucht, vergleiche mit karl blau, rozi plain und ähnlichen kalibern herzustellen. mit the good graces verfolgt die künstlerin seit 2007 ein bandprojekt, das sich vor allem durch die wechselnden mitmusiker auszeichnet. u.a. waren john mcnicholas, jim combs, donna riley und michelle friedman an bord. ganz aktuell ist die vorbereitung auf den valentinstag. denn am 14. februar soll eine neue single erscheinen. "befor you go" b/w "from a to f" ist dabei eine kollaboration zwischen den labels potluck und pretty new songs und enthält ein geschenk an den ehemann, ein jahrestagpräsent quasi, sowie ein weiteres schmuckstück aus der unermüdlichen songschmiede. es ist zwar noch ein wenig hin, aber "before you go" möchte ich Euch nicht länger vorenthalten, ein wundervoller track, eine liebesbezeichnung der besonderen art."

mit "under the weather" gibt es nun einen ersten appetithappen aus der kommenden lp "close to the sun". erscheinen wird der zehntracker am 30. september als kooproduktion von fort lowell records und potluck. den freedownload, der irgendwann mitte juni freigeschaltet war, haben wir verpasst, aber der noch junge song sollte Euch auch so prädestiniert erscheinen, um neugierig zu werden. kim ware singt mit abgehangener stimme, begleitet von piano und gitarre, etwas schlagwerk. die schönheit ist kein machwerk, sie findet sich im schlichten. sie findet sich hier. - das klienicum

The super talented and amazing Kim Ware and her band stayed at the Hills House while playing a showcase gig at SXSW 2015-lucky us! So incredibly polite and professional from the get go, she and her hardworking bandmates arrived just in time to play their hearts out at SX, only to then hit the road again to make their next gig, all the while leaving us a bunch of cool swag and our home virtually spotless, we were knocked out by their kindness and their Good Graces! As her newest fans we hope to see her back in Austin soon, she now has a home away from home with us. - Airbnb

Singer, songwriter, and drummer-turned-guitarist Kim Ware of the Good Graces is known for her unique brand of raw, folk-leaning “southern indie” music. Performing with a rotating cast of musicians, Ware has been crafting tracks with both guts and heart since picking up her first guitar in 2006.

“capital R” is the new impassioned and cathartic single from the Good Graces. Ware’s voice curates a raw vulnerability atop a tried and true indie rock formula recalling the candid flair of Liz Phair. There is a sense of timelessness to the track though it effortlessly defines a generation of 90’s angst with beautiful openness, creativity and sense of self-worth.

“Compared to most of my other songs, this song came about in a pretty interesting way. It was the result of an assignment from my therapist. I was dealing with some complicated feelings and she urged me to write a letter, to myself, from the feelings. At first I thought, “hmm… what?” But a few days later I was journaling and the letter just came out, and a few days after that the song followed. I recorded my acoustic and vocals at home and Jerry Kee did the rest in his studio in Mebane, NC. This is one of the most fun ones to play with my band, and it’s really cathartic to sing that chorus,” says Ware. - Glide Magazine

Relationships can be tricky. So many conflicting emotions. So many competing motivations, both acknowledged and unseen. Who can make sense of human behavior? After all, there’s definitely, definitely, definitely no logic, right? On new single “capital R,” Kim Ware pulls back the curtain and exposes the tangled knot of contradictions and thorny rationales that often drive our decision-making. “I don’t wanna be here / But you’re so inviting / And this time I think I might stay,” she sings on the softly glowing chorus. Couched in warm hooks and moody atmospherics, it brims with the candid poetics that has informed the Good Graces’ songwriting for well over a decade.

“I’ve always tried to make my songs a very honest reflection of who I am,” Ware says. “But what part of life fits neatly in a box? Life is not a simple thing. So I often end up writing about that non-simplicity.”

After living in Atlanta for sixteen years, Ware recently moved back to her family’s farm in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. The transition has helped her connect to her past and deepen her appreciation of home. Since then, she’s been working with NC engineer/producer Jerry Kee (Superchunk, Archers of Loaf, Polvo) on the Good Graces’ forthcoming sixth full length.

“Capital R” is the first taste of that collaboration and it finds Ware embracing a more rock-centric sound. There are shades of folk-leaning Americana, of course, and the billowing synths help coat the track in a dreamy shimmer. But the driving force remains Ware’s knack for marrying tasteful melodies to piercing observations. Here, it’s the daunting realization that despite someone’s flaws—their domineering attitude and “half-assed optimism”— there is an intractable attraction that can’t be ignored. Why? Who’s to say. Simple truths can be hard to come by. But maybe, just maybe, we like it that way.

Stream the single and lyric video above.

“capital R” releases this Fri., Aug. 27. Pre-orders are available here.

The Good Graces will perform on Sat., Aug. 28 at the EARL alongside the Preakness and Ben Trickey (full band). Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is $12 in advance or $15 DOS. 21+ to enter. Proof of vaccination or negative COVID test required. Mask up, y’all.

More Info
Web: thegoodgraces.org
Bandcamp: thegoodgraces.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @thegoodgraces
SoundCloud: @thegoodgraces
Tumblr: thegoodgraces.tumblr.com
Twitter: @theGoodGraces - Immersive Atlanta