Shipbuilder

I’ve been following Drew Gibson’s work since that day way back in 2007 when I randomly happened across his debut album “Letterbox” on MySpace. Ah, yes the good old pre Facebook and Twitter days. . Looking back, all these years later, I still can’t quite put my finger on exactly what it was about Drew’s music that instantly drew(no pun intended) me in...but it was strong. That album, most notably its title track(the first song I heard) and “Wish You Well” still move me to this day. Basically, in a nutshell, Drew Gibson is a singer songwriter that makes beautiful music...and I do mean truly beautiful and moving music. But it’s far more than that. It’s beautifully crafted, beautifully executed, poetic, soulful songs that he makes. Gibson most often depends on the combination of his signature hushed vocal and his deceptively intricate almost bell-like guitar fingerpicking. Its a seductive combination for sure. But, that’s just the surface. If you dive a little deeper into his work, you’ll soon discover how he expertly coaxes a full band to create whatever proper landscape a particular song might require. Again, it’s a beautiful thing. It just boggles my mind that Gibson has enjoyed a mere fraction of the attention he deserves. There have been two fantastic Drew Gibson albums between ‘Letterbox’ and his brand new release. 2011’s ‘Southern Draw” and 2015’s ‘1532’ are both wonderful records...every bit as good as the debut that snagged me. Both records are loaded with Gibson’s expert song craft and offer up a slightly more forward leaning productions than ‘Lettterbox’. It’s(production) all part of the previously mention “landscape” thing and is every bit as artistic as the music itself. As an example, Gibson, doesn’t shy away from featuring clattering drums or Dave Hadley’s screaming overdriven pedal steel(think The Flying Burrito Brothers’ Sneaky Pete) alongside his own delicate guitar chops. Someway, somehow, it all works...you guessed it....beautifully. Gibson’s brand new record is ‘Shipbuilder’ and boy, is it a doozy. While i don’t yet have the miles with it to fully analyze its lyrical content or themes, Gibson’s knack for writing moving poetry continues here. I love the line “I’m a man of angles, tied up and tangled from the last time I kissed her” from ‘Shipbuilder’s” third track “The Last Time” Speaking from a mostly “sonics” point of view, it’s dawning on me that this is Gibson’s best work so far. Coming from me, that’s saying something. There’s all the elements I’ve mentioned above. The songwriting, the fine guitar work, the wailing pedal steel(which actually kicks off the record via what seems to be some kind of haunted, distant, SOS radio transmission), the drumming, the production, the soul, and yes, the beauty. Its all there. It’s an incredibly delicious listen that finds Gibson very successfully reaching into new territory. It’s a decidedly more “band ” focused effort...as in crank them up and turn them loose. There’s some incredible musicianship on display. Aside from those already mentioned, someone is also obliterating a Hammond organ. Nice. I don’t mean to give the impression that this is a drastic style change for Gibson. That’s not the case. This record is still unmistakable Drew Gibson, but finds him fully stretching out musically. Yes there’s some “uncommonly heavy for Drew Gibson” numbers, but it’s really a diverse record. There are quieter moments as well. The piano based “Speak Now Teresa” left me speechless...it’s crystal clarity punctuated by Hadley’s pedal steel dagger to the heart is stunning. “The Last Time”(already mentioned above) is another immediate standout. It starts low key with a repeating simple, march-like three note guitar arpeggio and builds to grand climax before ending as it started. Just lovely. “In a Fire” is classic Drew Gibson. Just his voice,with its soft rasp and his acoustic guitar which, like always, sounds as big as a piano. “Everything I Ever Did Was Wrong” finds Gibson in the “countriest” vein I ever heard him in. He sounds comfortable there. It’s impressive. Ironically, at this moment, my favorite track on the album might be “At This Very Moment”. This seven minute adventure starts small and ends big with all guns blazing. Piano, thunderous rolling organ, and that pedal steel monster again, all slow-building together with Gibson’s mournful vocal to create a giant sonic wad that ends(after studio chatter of someone happily confessing “that felt good”) this amazing record. Beautiful.