THE GIBSON BROTHERS
Long Way Back Home (Sugar Hill)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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Leigh and Eric Gibson are back, and their follow up to last year's Bona Fide is proof positive that the previous title was 100% warranted. These guys are the real deal, capable of reviving classic bluegrass faithfully, cranking out new bluegrass classics seemingly effortlessly or turning songs from other genres into bluegrass classics naturally.

Their revivalist instincts are best displayed by their rendition of a gem from Louvin Brothers songbook, "Satan's Jeweled Crown." Their transformative talents in regards to cover from outside the bluegrass world are front and center with the title track, written by Gordon Lightfoot, and Robbie Robertson's "Ophelia." Their ability to create amazing new music, well, it's just all over the album.

While they remain solidly in the bluegrass pocket, with crystalline harmonies and hot licks, one of the things I appreciate the most about the Gibsons is their ability to reveal the roots of the exotic musical creature we call bluegrass in the solid ground of good old country music. Sadly, the emphasis is on 'old,' because the industry won't make room for music like this without strapping an extra tag on it - bluegrass, Americana, whatever. But it's country music, real country music, country music from an era when the size of your heart counted for more than the shape of your hat.

And it's great music. And the Gibson Brothers are masters of it. And this album is just more proof of that.

Track List:

Mountain Song * Callie's Reel * Dreams That End Like This * The Way I Feel * Ophelia * Any Man In His Right Mind * Long Way Back Home * It's All Right With Me * Alone With You * I'm Not Wanted Here * I Gotta Get Back To You * Satan's Jeweled Crown * He'd Take Her Back Again * East Bound Train

© 2004 - Shaun Dale