taken from the FatCat webiste
We found Gregory and the Hawk by accident. We were having some pints at Southpaw in Brooklyn when the band came on stage and Meredith Godreau began to sing, instantly stunning everyone in the room. She was in the studio a month later beginning work on her FatCat debut.
The name Gregory And The Hawk was conceived in 2003, initially devised to avoid her being perceived or pigeonholed as a female singer-songwriter (though, perhaps ironically, when pressed for a list of influences Meredtih cites Nick Drake, Liz Phair, Pj Harvey). Meredith remained playing alone under that name for a few years, until she met Mike McGuire in New York in 2005. The two played live shows together for several months before teaming up with bassist Jeff Ratner and drummer Adam Christgau (both of New York band Paper And Sand). The four of them recorded the 'Boats And Birds EP',which they self-released in 2006. Soon after, the four friends moved apart, and so Meredith began playing live with just Jeff on upright bass, and herself on acoustic guitar and vocals. This was how she played most of the shows to support 'In Your Dreams,' the debut album, again self-released in 2007. The only players on 'In Your Dreams' were Meredith, Mike McGuire (who also engineered most of it), and Susan Ambrose. The recording of 'Moenie and Kitchi' was somewhat different; while Mike, Susan and a host of others contributed, many of the instruments were played by the album's producer Adam Pierce (Mice Parade). The band's current line-up was solidified after the recording process. It consists of Adam Christgau on drums, Doro Tachler on violin and bass, and Mike McGuire on guitar/rhodes, with Meredith's characteristic guitar and voice leading the way. The band could still grow as they prepare for some extensive touring throughout the fall...
The gentle, hook-laden songs of Gregory And The Hawk's mostly solo/acoustic sets have received much of their considerable attention through internet streaming and downloads, resulting in a groundswell of support that belies the fact that up until now, there has been no label, no manager, or indeed any other supportive network to help them on their way. Gregory And The Hawk have but one thing on their side - the ability to craft spellbinding, idiosyncratic pop songs, that sound at once suggestive, familiar, and yet very much of themselves.
