Andy Gibson: Behind The I
By Amanda Mills
Auckland-based musician Andy Gibson’s debut long player should have a lot going for it. The album was mixed in the UK by his cousin Sam Gibson (the internationally rated sound engineer for Neil Finn and Dave Dobbyn); it was mastered at York St. Studio by Chris Winchcombe, and the musicians on the album (Charmaine Ford on piano, Dylan Storey on guitar, Sam Prebble on violin, and Reb Fountain on backing vocals) are a cross section of fine NZ talent. So why am I not convinced? Gibson’s voice is pleasant enough, but the distinctive Kiwi ‘flavour’ is a little too much on my ears, and I find the songwriting to be nothing outstanding. There are a couple of interesting pieces - the electronic based track Tangled has a harder edge than the rest of the album, and also a memorable refrain, while Art Will Save America has subtle Flamenco-styled guitar playing. Unfortunately, this is the exception rather than the rule. The remainder of the album passes by without being a distraction - a sign that not much is standing out. Gibson needs to develop his songwriting and look to develop his own sound. The talent is there, but that is not made blindingly obvious with this album.
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