English folk singer Grace Petrie is back, on record plus on tour and being stronger, older and a whole lot angrier than ever before! Grace began performing in 2006 as a solo vocalist and acoustic guitarist, and self-released an eponymous album in no time at all. Before new fans realised, album two ‘Feel Better’ dropped in 2007, but the ball got rolling three years later with the arrival of ‘Tell Me A Story’ and at the invitation of the one and only Billy Bragg, Grace made a debut appearance on Glastonbury’s Leftfield stage in 2010. This socialist, feminist, and lesbian had found a new home and has made an almost annual appearance at Glastonbury since that year, as well as entertaining crowds elsewhere including playing festivals such as Towersey, Greenbelt Festival, Latitude and others. National tours with Emmy The Great, Billy Bragg, Frank Turner and Hannah Gadsby followed, as well as making several appearances on BBC Radio 4’s ‘The Now Show’.
Further albums arrived in the form of ‘Mark My Words’ (2011), ‘Love Is My Rebellion’ (2013), ‘Live At St. Pancras Old Church’ (2014), ‘Whatever’s Left’ (2015), ‘Heart First Aid Kit’ (2017), ‘Queer As Folk’ (2018), and success story ‘Connectivity’ (2021), which smashed into the UK Top 40 Albums and debuted at No.1 in the UK download chart. This propelled the fiercely independent Grace from critics’ choice to the main stages of major festivals across Britain, Australia and Canada.
The Covid lockdowns were like a cage and when restrictions were lifted, Grace hit the road harder than ever, armed with the most searing and successful record to date, and determined to make up for lost time. Sell-out headline tours across the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand followed, with audiences from Melbourne to Toronto mesmerised by the ferocity of the socially urgent lyricism on offer and the barnstorming power of the live shows.
Wind the clock forward to the present and Grace is now set to drop the next instalment in the form of the ‘Build Something Better’ long player, which will hit the streets on Friday 8th March.
The tracklisting reads as follows:
A1. ‘The Best Country In The World’
A2. ‘The House Always Wins’
A3. ‘King And Country’
A4. ‘Meanwhile In Texas’
A5. ‘Next Episode Starts’
B1. ‘Start Again’
B2. ‘Earthwire’
B3. ‘Cynicism Free’
B4. ‘If I Were To Outlive You’
B5. ‘Fixer Upper’
B6. ‘English Culture’
You can see the current purchase options for the album HERE as well as previous releases HERE.
In support of the forthcoming release Grace has announced an 18-date tour. This includes a Sussex concert, which is set to take place at the ever popular Concorde 2 in Brighton a week after the album’s release, this being on Friday 15th March. Tickets for this concert which is being promoter by Love Thy Neighbour can be purchased HERE, HERE and are also listed in HERE.
Build Something Better’ album and concert ticket bundles for all 18-dates can also be located HERE.
Faux folk.