Scott Gibson - Make Ready
Hayden's Ferry Records 23052
4-stars

Texas singer-songwriter Scott Gibson has been around the block a time or three, playing the Austin club scene and being a sideman to the famous and not-so-famous, both out on the road and in the studio. This debut album has been a long-time in the making, but it has been worthwhile, as it's one of the most auspicious debuts I've heard in many a year. Recorded in Austin with such players as Chris Gage, Paul LeMond, Rafael Gayol, Rob Gjersoe and producer Mac McNabb in attendance, Gibson offers invention, emotional subtlety and lyrical depth, as well as a surfeit of hooks in the ten self-penned songs.

The opening I Believe is an uptempo meditation on the hard-won fruits of staying together in a relationship against all the odds. The song boasts a well-written lyric about the differences between our expectations and the ralities of life. Put Away The Blues is a moving song about picking oneself up and starting over again. Gibson delivers an affecting performance that shows range and depth.

The Hardest Part Of Hurtin' (Is The Hope) is heavy stuff for any of us who have been deserted before we're ready, and the weight of the lyric alone is enough to draw you in. In contrast Robin-on-Hudson lopes away quite joyfully, and Sunday Social is a sunny rural get-together full of infectious fun. Scott Gibson is a rare find who should be given his chance to shine. Seek out and enjoy.
-Alan Cackett