Laura Gibson

Doing it better + Laura Gibson limited EP out now.

We’re very pleased to announce that if you buy any CD from the HUSHshop, you now receive a FREE album download as well, on the spot. No waiting for Mr. Postman to listen to the music, while at the same time retaining the joy of the parcel, the artifact, the liner notes, the art, and the superior sound quality. Here’s the kicker: we do it for less than iTunes! CD in the mail and instant download: $9.97. Hot dog!

Or if you like, just choose the Download only, on any title, and we’ll knock a couple bucks off.

The new shop is pretty spiffy, and scheduled to get spiffier. (Look for easy to audition song samples rolling out soon.) But, again, if you haven’t familiarized yourself with our podcast, it’s a great way to test drive our albums out in the field, away from the computer, where music often sounds a bit better. We just put up an enhanced sampler mix (just click subscribe in iTunes) of exquisite new Laura Gibson EP, Six White Horses which is now available in the HUSHshop. This release is limited to a few hundred leftovers from her recent tour. A collector’s piece to be sure.

We’re so hyped about this we’re pulling another first: use the coupon code hushluvsu for 15% off your entire order in the month of May. Use it wisely: limit 1 per customer.

Thanks for sticking with us!

On The Road With Laura Gibson

Laura’s been out on the road with Colin Meloy for a couple weeks now, opening the shows and singing duets with the most famous HUSH alumni. The route took them through DC, where Ms. Gibson had the pleasure of meeting Bob Boilen of NPR. Bob intived her to his desk cubicle to perform for those who weren’t on deadline for an off the cuff performance of “Hands In Pockets”. Have a look. The payoff is a the end, I think.

Very endearing, as always.

New Tour-Only EP from Laura Gibson!

fresh photo: Melanie Brown

Tour-Only Cover EPs are the de rigueur of today’s working musician. Colin Meloy announced his ode to Sam Cooke a few weeks back, and we are pleased to confirm the details of Laura Gibson’s (to open all tour dates for Meloy) cover EP counterpoint: Six White Horses: Blues & Traditionals Vol I Presented by Laura Gibson and Friends.

Recorded over a weekend, in the kitchen, front porch and basement of an old Victorian House in Sellwood, Oregon, Six White Horses finds Laura Gibson reinterpreting six old blues and traditional songs that have greatly influenced her music and guitar-work. The sparse and somewhat improvisational arrangements came as a collaboration with multi-instrumentalist Jason Leonard, seasoned in radio sound-effects and found-sound compositions.

While Gibson’s guitarwork mostly adheres to the original blues composition, her voice, nylon strings, and reliance on non-traditional instrumentation bring the songs into a unique time and space. Gibson’s voice and classical guitar were projected and recorded through the speaker of an old-record player. Leonard contributes non-traditional instruments (washbucket, newpaper drums, porch stomping, bells, whistling, vibraphone and glockenspiels). A neighborhood saw player, known only as Mr. Fantastic, exchanged a few haunting melody lines for a bottle of whiskey. All songs were recorded by Sean Ogilvie who engineered the project, and contributed piano to “All the Pretty Horses”. The CD will be available exclusively on the tour, and as a digital release when the tour concludes.

Tracklist

All The Pretty Horses (traditional)

One Dime Blues (Blind Lemon Jefferson)

Freight Train (Elizabeth Cotton)

One Thin Dime (Mance Lipscomb)

Black is the Color of My True Loves Hair (traditional)

Dryland Blues (Furry Lewis)

Laura Gibson Hinah Session

photo: Ramona Córdova

While in France a few months back Laura Gibson played a house show with her boyfriend and collaborator Sean Ogilvie which was recorded by the kind and industrious folks of Hinah and distributed freely via their site and lastFM. The recording itself has an audio cassette patina to it which probably wouldn’t paint a kind picture of most artists, but in Laura’s case the strength of the raw songs come through, and her voice radiates in the small room. I recommend lighting a candle and playing these eight tracks over laptop speakers some quiet evening.

1 – “A Good Word, An Honest Man”
2 – “Broken Bottle”
3 – “Nightwatch”
4 – “Sleeper”
5 – “Hands In Pockets”
6 – “Shake Sugaree”
7 – “Come By Storm”
8 – “This Is Not The End”

Any small speakers will do, really.

While were at it, we should re-post the link to the excellent (and a bit fuller-bodied) Daytrotter session, as well as the properly notify you of the If You Come To Greet Me vinyl LP issued late last year on Graveface.

Laura Gibson to tour, record with Colin Meloy.

photo: Laurent OrseauÂ

Yes, you may have caught through the wire that our very own Laura Gibson will go out on the ‘big bus’ with Mr. Meloy (of HUSH roster alumnus The Decemberists) on a whirlwind national tour to commence in April. Pitchfork recently announced the tracklist for the third in a series of cover EPs from Colin, set to cover the immortal Sam Cooke, which will find release exclusively on that tour.

However, the cyber patriarch of the indie set was not made privy to the fact these tracks feature a liberal dose of the LG. (That’s what we call Laura round here.) These are no less than duets, and will surely carry her voice a little bit further than it has already travelled on the merits of the instant classic If You Come To Greet Me.