When it comes to country music Canada has been good to us over the years, Shania Twain has been smashing it on the country scene for a good 20 years. One of our lovely writers here at For The Country Record is Canadian, one of them wants to be Canadian. You also have the quite frankly lovely Lindi Ortega. Currently you have Keith Urban (who isn’t Candian) in female form, Lindsay Ell who is beginning to look like the next Canadian country singer to break out into the mainstream. Which BTW if she does, I am doing the hipster ‘I was there before she was cool man’.
So if you don’t mind Canadian and you’re partial to some country music, which I suspect if you’re reading this you probably are, allow me to introduce to you another Canadian country bumpkin.
Ray Gibson is another female soloist looking to make some inroads in country music. In the past couple of years Ray certainly has not wasted any time, performing at after parties for the likes of Florida Georgia Line, while she’s also shared the stage with numerous Canadian acts such as Tyler Ward and Wes Mack.
As well as guitar, Ray is also adept at playing the banjo, mandolin and ukulele, you know, like proper country instruments. Co-writing with the likes of Kelsea Bellerini who is the major female breakout star of country music this year, gives you an idea of her talent and also musical style.
Ray Gibson’s self titled debut EP is her first major offering. As has been much discussed on here, country music manifests itself in varying forms and this offering sits nicely on the country/pop category, so if you’re a fan of Kelsea Bellerini or another artists I reviewed earlier in the year (Jordyn Stoddard – check her out) then I reckon you’ll like what Ray Gibson has to offer.
‘In Your Kiss’ is Ray’s debut single released to iTunes, and it’s a bubbly, cheerful track, where she is day dreaming about some wonderful guy and perhaps asking if he really is the one. ‘How many times have I thought it over, thinking I might never find a shoulder that I can lean my arms on every night’. The verse is short, and the chorus arrives 30 seconds in ‘But in your kiss, I am as close to heaven as I can get… my lipstick tastes of love so sweet’. ‘In Your Kiss’ has also been released to Canadian radio, and to be fair you can see why what with the song’s short snappy verses and choruses along with depth-adding backing vocals, creating an easy on the ear sound. If I was to be mildly picky I would say the song would sound a little better slowed down in a more acoustic setting, but that’s just personal preference.
‘You Still Got That’ is another teenage love kind of song, but shows off Ray’s lovely soft vocals a little. However, ‘Rebound’ for me is one of my favourites from the EP. I do like to see a range of emotions or styles in a record, and ‘Rebound’ brings out Ray Gibson’s inner feisty chick. Revolving around a guy who is with a girl but only as a ‘Rebound’ there are some good go screw yourself, you total idiot kind of lyrics. ‘She’s a rebound she’s got your hands in your hair like she owns you, but she wishes she was me now… everyone knows she’s a rebound’. With more of a country twang in the chorus and instrumentals, this could potentially be a radio hit.
‘Permanent’ and ‘Loving you lately’ sees Ray take it down a notch at a relatively medium pace and again there is something about her voice that just seems to appeal to me. Although there is not quite the projection and power of the likes of Carrie Underwood, there are similarities to Kelsea.
Produced by Jeff Johnson, Tom McKilip and Jordan Oorebeek this is a solid effort from Ray Gibson; one of the things that I am impressed with is that she seems composed and confident within her own voice. At the same time, for someone with a wide range of talents, I’ll be interested to see if she pushes on both in terms of her songwriting and vocals, as I reckon there is more to come from this lady. I hope I get to see it.
Originally posted here.
