Description:
Daughter of the town kindergarten teacher and a forest ranger, Laura Gibson`s root runs deep in the small coastal town of Coquille, Oregon. An outsider to the burgeoning Portland music scene, Gibson`s early choice of venues (an AIDS hospice here, a kindergarten class there) and her complete lack of music scene knowledge may have confused erstwhile veterans, but her homespun sincerity, enchanting voice, and mature songwriting won `em all over in a heartbeat. Listening to If You Come to Greet Me, it`s immediately apparent something magical happened at Portland`s Typefoundry Studios in Summer 2006 with the capable assistance of Adam Selzer (Norfolk & Western). The release is haunting, perfectly bolstered by gorgeous, orchestral arrangements that never detract from the melodic backbone of Gibson`s songwriting. By the end of the sessions, almost all the members of Norfolk & Western had enthusiastically contributed performances. Wayne Miller filled out the troupe with tasteful, loping upright bass lines and Alex James (Delorean) stopped in to sing a few bars. If You Come to Greet Me demonstrates a rich tapestry of emotion over nine songs--hope, ennui, reflection, inspiration, loneliness, happiness, yearning--all stitched together with a steady songwriting hand, where imagery dovetails with melody in an irresistible way. (Hush Records)
