Hi everyone!
The new EP "Bring on the Tambourines!" is continuing to get some nice little plugs from bloggers, radio folks, etc... check out some of the recent reviews and such:

Jersey Beat review
THE GOOD GRACES - Bring on the Tambourines! (www.eskimorecords.com) 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, www.JerseyBeat.com
thegoodgraces.com

review from Snob's Music

Here's a really cool show preview for our upcoming (this Thursday!) show at Twain's in Decatur.

And finally, you should check out this Walk to Run Records podcast for some fun discourse around "Bad Driver," plus some other really great tunes.

fancy way of saying it's been sent to radio and the stations are checking it out. So if you listen to any of the stations listed below, please call and request a tune from the EP (suggested tracks are "Working Title" and "Pretty New Song"). It'll help us out and we'd really appreciate it!

Station City
CITR* VANCOUVER
KBOO* PORTLAND
KJHK* LAWRENCE
KVCU* BOULDER
KXLU* LOS ANGELES
KZSC* SANTA CRUZ
WDBM EAST LANSING
WHUS STORRS
WITR* ROCHESTER
WKDU* PHILADELPHIA
WLUW CHICAGO
WMBR CAMBRIDGE
WNHU* WEST HAVEN
WNYU* NEW YORK
WPRK* WINTER PARK
WTUL* ABITA SPRINGS
WVFS TALLAHASSEE
WVKR* POUGHKEEPSIE
WVUD* NEWARK
WYBF RADNOR
WZBC* CHESTNUT HILL
KWCW WALLA WALLA
KVRX* AUSTIN
WBNY* BUFFALO
WWVU* MORGANTOWN
KTCU* FORT WORTH
KDVS* DAVIS
WFMU HOBOKEN
WRAS ATLANTA
KALX* BERKELEY
KCRW SANTA MONICA
KUMD* DULUTH
KUOM* MINNEAPOLIS
KUSF* SAN FRANCISCO
KWUR ST. LOUIS
WFDU* TEANECK
WHRW BINGHAMTON
WMPG* PORTLAND
WMSE* MILWAUKEE
WMUA* AMHERST
WRSU* NEW BRUNSWICK
WRTC HARTFORD
WRUR* ROCHESTER
WRUV* BURLINGTON
WSYC SHIPPENSBURG
CFUV VICTORIA
WERU-2 EAST ORLAND
3WK ST. LOUIS
KDHX* ST. LOUIS
KTSW* SAN MARCOS
KUOI MOSCOW
WMUH ALLENTOWN
BreakThru Radio NEW YORK
KCRW SANTA MONICA
KEXP* SEATTLE
WIDR KALAMAZOO
KAMP TUCSON
CHRW LONDON
CJAM WINDSOR
KBUT CRESTEDBUTTE
KCSC CHICO
KDUR DURANGO
KGLT BOZEMAN
KRUA ANCHORAGE
KSCL SHREVEPORT
KSJS* SAN JOSE
KUPS* TACOMA
KVMR* NEVADA CITY
KVSC ST. CLOUD
WCDB* ALBANY
WCWM WILLIAMSBURG
WERS* BOSTON
WGSU GENESEO
WLJS JACKSONVILLE
WORT MADISON
WRRG RIVER GROVE
WRUB AMHERST
WSBF CLEMSON
WSBU ST. BONAVENTURE
WTJU CHARLOTTESVILLE
WUNH* DURHAM
WUOG* ATHENS
WUSC* COLUMBIA
RLC PISCATAWAY
WCVF FREDONIA
CFMU HAMILTON
RADIO UTD RICHARDSON
MONTCO RADIO BLUE BELL
CJSW* CALGARY
KFSR* FRESNO
KSSU SACRAMENTO
WAKE WINSTON-SALEM
WDOM* PROVIDENCE
WEGL* AUBURN
WGTB WASHINGTON
WIDB CARBONDALE
WIXQ MILLERSVILLE
WKPX SUNRISE
WLVR BETHLEHEM
WMNF* TAMPA

"Bring on the Tambourines!" is getting some nice pre-release blurbs from across the interwebs. Take a looksee!

The Good Graces are embarking on a teenie tiny tour of NC this week! We'll be in Chapel Hill on Thurs, Greensboro Fri, and Charlotte on Sat. Joining us for all three shows will be the ever-talented John Harrison of North Elementary. Hope to see some NC friends at the shows!

We've been getting some really kind reviews and mentions of the record recently, here are a few new ones:

Snob's Music

Cable and Tweed

The Star (this, I've been told, is Canada's largest daily paper. tGG is listed in a top 10 list of sorts with the likes of The Bee Gees and Kanye West -- pretty wild!)

Stomp and Stammer

and here's a live recording of our last show at Kavarna -- The Flat Response

Hope all of you are enjoying our new President, and hope to see you real soon!

Some blogs have been very kind to tGG recently; check out these mentions of "Sunset Over Saxapahaw":

to die by your side: Go blame someone else

My Guitar Buddies: The Good Graces and Kim Ware

Mojophenia: The Good Graces

Thanks, blog people!

Here are some recent online blurbs either about tGG or the new record, or both. Remember you can get your own copy NOW from eskimokissrecords.com. It "officially" comes out (meaning there might be a store or two who have it, but it'll be all over the download sites like itunes, emusic, blah blah) on Oct. 28.

http://tuneslevel.com/2008/10/03/indie-band-you-need-to-know-the-good-graces/ - This one's nice because I didn't know this person already. And he deems tGG a "band you need to know."

http://www.driveafastercar.com/2008/08/26/featured-show-the-good-graces-at-the-earl-tonight/ - This was a show preview posted before our recent show at the EARL. It's super cool because Tessa is super cool and it's from her super cool blog.

http://www.freshmusicexpress.com/?p=12 - Here's an interview from a new music site called Fresh Music Express.

Yay.

A few months ago I set out to record my first EP of The Good Graces material. I was determined to get five or six songs down and be done with it, but it quickly turned into a full-length (10 songs). It's been an extremely interesting and fun learning experience for me, and I'm very excited for my friends to hear it. Of course for that to happen I have to get it pressed. Which brings me to my plea: help me fund the pressing of my first record! "Sunset Over Saxapahaw" will be released on Oct. 28, 2008. BUT I'll have the discs in hand the first week of October, and if you preorder it I'll send you your copy the minute I receive them!

So if you ever wanted to support a struggling, slightly insane artist now's your chance! Think of yourself as a patron of the arts. That's all eskimo kiss has ever been anyway… and I look at my CD as the ultimate eskimo kiss release, as every single EKR release so far has been such a big influence on my music. You can even check out some previews of some of the tunes on my myspace.

At the risk of sounding even more salesy, "Sunset Over Saxapahaw" is at times serious, at times lighthearted, it's endearing, it's sincere, it's very personal and I put so much of myself in it that I really feel like if you like me at all as a person, you'll probably like at least some of this record. So help me out ok? Just head over to www.eskimokissrecords.com, and click the little "Buy CD" button over there on the left beside the album description. Oh, and I must mention that the preorders will get some extra special surprise goodies with their order, plus my undying love. And that's got to be worth at least 10 bucks, right???

Athens Popfest was such a blast! I saw some really fun bands like Ruby Isle who are gonna be huge and One Happy Island who are as delightful as their name sounds. I'm already looking forward to next year, and I hope to get to Athens more often as it's too close and too charming not to. We got a very nice write-up in Athens Exchange so check it out!

In other news, we're playing at The EARL next Tues, Aug. 26 with James Jackson Toth and The Dutchess and the Duke. This is going to be an awesome show and I'm really honored to be opening for two great artists so I hope to see some of your smiling faces there!

In keeping with my recent trend, I'm posting lyrics to a new tune that just kinda jumped out of me yesterday. So cool when that happens. I'm excited to unveil this one at Newfangled Fest!

NEW SONG THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE OLD SONG (WORKING TITLE)*

Someone better call someone for back-up
Someone better sound the alarm
Yesterday it seemed like things were working
Today it seems you're causing me harm

I can tell from the look that's on your face
That you're trying to hide some big disgrace

No one ever likes to be the bearer
Of anything that sounds like bad news
But sometimes it feels better just to say it
Especially when there's nothing to lose

I can tell from the shifting of your eyes
That you don't know the truth from all your lies

Did you really think that nobody would notice
That everything we've built just turned to shit?
And I'm trying to believe we didn't blow this
But the numbers don't add up, your piece won't fit


*actually maybe I'll just title it "Working Title?" Yes. Perfect.

Atlanta synth wizard Jim Combs produces a monthly newsletter called Ephemeral Radio; in it he previews festivals, provides general news on the Atlanta music scene, and poses four questions to an up-and-coming musician. For the July issue, that musician is me :) so check it out at www.ephemeralradio.com; a copy of my interview is below: