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Oregon native Laura Gibson is not a typical musician.
Seldom exploring the world of recorded music, Gibson does music
her way. Her beginning audience of choice was kindergarten classes,
residents of nursing homes and hospices. She's a little bit of
a small-town kind of gal, but it's that charm that comes outward
in her style. If You Come To Greet Me approaches the listener
with charm and sweetness. It almost becomes a girl-next-door kind
of feel. Gibson's voice is warm and that, mixed with her small-town
type of intimate qualities, makes the listener eager to greet
Gibson.
On If You Come To Greet Me honesty lingers around the
chords and words. Her voice may be soft, but it's confident. She
is a little demur, but still willing to share. The entire album
is very forward in the sense that there is little to no layering.
She remains out in the open within the construction of the album.
The simplistic orchestration does not cloud or create a façade
to deter the ear from what Gibson wants to tell you. She sheds
her proverbial clothes and lets you see her from the beginning.
"This Is Not The End" is quite the opener. Almost sounding
as though it were a lo-fi, the song presents a sort of aged charm.
It moves slowly as each note is quietly and gently played by Gibson.
Her soft voice is heartfelt as she sings that "this is not
the end." One of the more popular songs on the album, "Hand
In Pockets" is a bit more upbeat with soft guest drumming
by Rachel Blumberg (Norfolk And Western, M. Ward,
The Decemberists) and as the song progresses; a bridge
that utilizes spoons comes into play. Lyrics are once again simple,
yet manage to capture a moment perfectly. "Tell me you always
go before me/Out along the solemn grate/Tell me the season is
almost over/ I can wait."
"Nightwatch" features another country aspect. Instead
of spoons, she chooses a wallowing saw in the background with
doubled vocals. The country theme continues within the album.
In "Small Town Parade", she tells her story of being
the center of attention in the small-town. "And I could be
the queen of our small town parade / You could be the leader of
a bold marching band / You could play the drum / And I could wave
my hand / For the crowd." The most appealing thing about
the song and its lyrics is the fact it doesn't matter if it's
Gibson's small town, or anyone else's, the same things still apply.
In "Country Song," Gibson gives a litany of "country"
things she has managed to fall in love with.
Regardless of whether it is her love for the small-town wonders
or of the country-esque things in life, Gibson manages to put
a sheen of beauty on her subject matter. Furthermore, her beauty
and deliverance of songs soars as her voice floats and touches
each little note gracefully. If You Come To Greet Me is
just that, everything you will get if you do greet Gibson and
once you do, you can hardly wait to meet her again.
-Teresa Moreno
Track Listing:
1.This Is Not The End
2.Hands In Pockets
3.Nightwatch
4.Certainty
5.Wintering
6.Small Town Parade
7.Country Song
8.Broken Bottle
9.The Longest Day
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