Yes, Another Dang Plug For The Gibson Brothers

Yesterday a link came up on my Facebook page to the Prairie Home Companion website that had another link to the new album by the Gibson Brothers. That album is called “Brotherhood” and it is being released by Rounder Records on February 24^th. Bluegrass radio stations already have the album and they’ve been playing cuts for a few weeks now. The Gibson’s appeared recently on the PHC program and it seems that Mr. Keillor was impressed enough with the new album that he arranged for this preview link with the record company.

Prairie Home Companion has long been a showcase for Bluegrass, Americana, old time Jazz and other genres of fine music. Sometimes it seems like a liberal Grand Old Opry. And that’s a good thing. Whenever I get the chance I tune in for the music, the humor and the nostalgic feel of classic radio. The production values are high, the writing is excellent and Mr. Keillor does the nation a valuable service by keeping the art-form alive.

So now you know that this old, curmudgeonly conservative guy likes a PBS mainstay. But my real point here is to tell you about Eric and Leigh Gibson’s new recording. This collection of “brother duets” is not just another bunch of high quality songs put together by an extremely talented band. It certainly fits that description but there’s much more to this album. This one, taken in the context of the current state of Bluegrass and country music, should be considered as a new standard of musical excellence. The Gibson Brothers, by carefully choosing from the vast catalog of old brother duets and then by adopting them (and adapting them) into their own very distinct sound and style, have shown that old material can be respected, renewed, re-presented in a thoroughly modern way.

They have made old time songs timeless. They have reclaimed and re-worked harmonies and made them natural and real. What might have been considered American “parlor songs” have been converted to concert pieces that will satisfy really big audiences as thoroughly as they were enjoyed in country home “musicales” of decades past. This is American country music at its finest.

I’m not here to review the album. There are songs that were originally done by well-known artists like the Everly Brothers, the Monroe Brothers and the Louvin Brothers. But there are also songs by groups that most of us have never heard of like the York Brothers. Every track is a gem. The clarity of the recording is beautiful. The musicianship of Jesse Brock on mandolin, Clayton Campbell on fiddle and Mike Barber on bass is solid, supportive, and often nothing short of astounding. Guest musicians like the McCoury brothers (and others that I can’t name because I don’t have my own copy yet) add complementing features that truly enhance some of the songs.

But the real joy of this record is the vocal purity of Leigh and Eric Gibson. Each of the brothers has a distinctive voice. But when they blend, or do counterpoint, or make jumps into pure high tenor synchronicity they become something else again. I recall years ago hearing a very young Alison Kraus do vocal work that made goose-bumps jump up on my arms. Several tracks on this album by the Gibson Brothers created that same physical reaction every time I listened. It’s that fine a work of Art.

So order a copy from Rounder or from Amazon. Better yet find the Gibson Brothers when they appear near you and go to the show. You’ll be glad you did. And I expect you to thank me for the suggestion. Now go look up the link at Prairie Home Companion. It’s posted on my Facebook page. And have yourself a fine day.