Melissa Gibson - In Your Corner (2006)

Melissa Gibson has a gorgeous dark-toned voice that she employs to express her belief that life is a good thing. The songs on In Your Corner are basically hopeful, a tone set right from the start with the sunny "Untrouble Your Mind."

In Your Corner is Gibson's fourth CD. Following a CD of covers (Under Their Influence), this one is all original material, written by Gibson and arranged by producer Vaughn Lofstead (who also plays guitar). Given the keyboard, fiddle and mandolin touches that can be heard behind Gibson's vocals, it is easy to understand why her music can be classified as both folk and country. Her melodies are for the most part up-tempo, toe-tapping and pleasant, even when the subject is less so, such as on "Raining in L.A." or "How the Falcon Flies" (both break-up songs). The lovely, leisurely "What They Meant" is an exception and a good ending to the CD.