New Jersey Stage 2015 - Issue 11 | Page 11

bassist Michael Libramento) contributed to the sessions along with former tour-mates and friends like Rayland Baxter, Audra Mae, Noelle Skaggs of Fitz & the Tantrums, Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips, and Nick Oliveri of Queens of the Stone Age. The songs on Midnight began in her Vermont home two years ago. She had been experimenting with making demos that featured the types of sounds, beats, and melodies that she had never tried before. For her, taking a chance was more about breaking away from the sound The Nocturnals was known for rather than worrying about creating something that wouldn’t be played on the radio. In the end, she created an album that showcases her NewJerseyStage.com musical influences and creativity in unexpected ways. Many artists release solo albums that rarely stray from the same music they’ve been creating with their band. Potter’s record does the opposite. This is a true solo project. One that dares to go into new corners and offers a message of embracing life’s unexpected twists and turns; a message that largely originated from a single song. She recalls the night the album’s first single, “Alive Tonight,” was conceived. “It was a dark, stormy, moody day and I could hear the thunder in the distance — these big ominous clouds were rolling in fast. There was something about that threat of inclement weather beyond my control that just made 2015 - ISSUE 11 ARTICLES 11