If You Come to Greet Me

VINYL FORMAT. 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.