La Grande

iTunes Review

Oregon-based folk singer Laura Gibson captures both a sweeping southwest-U.S. loneliness (courtesy of Calexico's Joey Burns, among the culprits) and a beguiling seductive nightclub romance with tunes that linger on the borders of jazz pop. It makes songs such as "The Rushing Dark" and "Red Moon" feel as if they're being transmitted over the decades and beamed into our headphones via the crackle of an old 78 record. There's a subtle orchestration to "Red Moon" that extends beautifully into the instrumental break. The title track digs an Ennio Morricone spaghetti western vibe, while "Skin, Warming Skin" tiptoes past the cactus flowers to find a winsome twinkle in Gibson's voice. "Lion/Lamb" works off double bass, spare piano notes, and gentle but effective orchestral touches. "Milk-Heavy, Pollen-Eyed" kicks off with a clarinet before settling into a poignant love song. The organ underlining "The Fire" gives way to a heavily percussive driving rhythm. Gibson is versatile without coming across as superficial; here, she incorporates a number of genres into her own careful style.