Storm Warning

"Storm Warning" On the follow up to 1999's "Something For Everyone" Nashville based guitarist Jim Gibson has moved things on again. The New Orleans/Louisiana influence has been replaced this time by a more soulful streak. Just to reinforce it, Steve Cropper is drafted in on guitar for a couple of tracks. Mighty Mo Rodgers also puts in an

"Storm Warning" On the follow up to 1999's "Something For Everyone" Nashville based guitarist Jim Gibson has moved things on again. The New Orleans/Louisiana influence has been replaced this time by a more soulful streak. Just to reinforce it, Steve Cropper is drafted in on guitar for a couple of tracks. Mighty Mo Rodgers also puts in an appearance, sharing vocals on the opener "Love Don't Always Do". It is a cracking soul workout, with Cropper on guitar and some very tasty sax from Jerry Peterson. Cropper later returns for the equally excellent mambo-based "Say When". Although these two are probably the best tracks, there is plenty of other good stuff too, all of which Gibson wrote. Tunes like "It's Too Late", with its almost Bonnie Raitt-like slide guitar interlude, and "Extra Special Delivery", for example, both chug along nicely. Elsewhere there is a chance to boogie too, on the horn laden "Storm Warning" where ZZ Top meet John Hiatt. Gibson also does a couple of songs solo on resonator. The first of these, "Joy Ride", does not appear to have anything to do with cars, despite its title!

On first hearing, the upbeat rock'n'roll stylings of "Can't Slow Down", with its excellent swinging horns, seems like a natural place to end. There is one more track, however, as Gibson takes things home with the slightly lower key, but highly effective closer, "Rock Paper Scissors".

Jim Gibson fits inside a musical triangle that has Hiatt, Raitt, and Delbert McClinton at its corners. There is much to admire about "Storm Warning", an album that rewards repeated plays, and is worth tracking down Gordon Baxter - Blues on Stage