Bob Gibson was an American folk musician that was an important figure in the revival in the early 1960s. His songs have been recorded by a number of artists, from Peter, Paul and Mary, to Simon & Garfunkel, Phil Ochs, the Byrds, and Bob Dylan, to name a few. However, when the folk revival was near its peak in the U.S., Gibson became isolated due to his use of different substances, and essentially fell out of the eye of the music world until 1978. Though he released a couple of albums during that time period, he was continually falling back into the grasp of his addictions. This album, Where I’m Bound (1964), was his last album he released until 1970, and it was also his last album on the Elektra label as well. I’m pretty stoked to check out more folk music from this time period, so with that said I’m going to jump on into the music.
“Where I’m Bound” starts out right away with some quick 12-string acoustic guitar and an upbeat, folksy vocal performance that reminds me a lot of Phil Ochs. I’m really digging this track so far. Oh wow, the momentum in the track seems to keep building on itself as the music continually intensifies. Great track, and I’m excited to hear more.
“The Waves Roll Out” starts out with a really smooth folksy acoustic guitar that seems to continue shifting gradually shifting around in the background, and is driven forward by the steadily bopping bass line. I really dig Gibson’s vocals in this track; there seems to be a slight raspiness to his voice in this track, and almost dissipates into a sort of smokey haze as quickly as they enter the soundscape. The overall sound reminds me a lot again of Phil Ochs, and has the classic folk revival sound that is part of why I dig the genre so much. Great track.
“12-String Guitar Rag” starts out hot with some really groovy, earthy sounds from the quick chops of Gibson’s 12-string guitar. The buzz of some of bass notes on the guitar combined with the quick changes in the melody continually pulls me into the song and album even more. Great track.
Holy smokes, “Wastin’ Your Time” starts out off the heels of the previous track in such a groovy way with a bass line that has a sort of beat/jazz nightclub feel that I really dig. Holy smokes, this track is super sweet. Wow, the sound reminds me of a unique combination of Phil Ochs and Fred Neil. Great track.
“The New “Frankie & Johnnie” Song” starts out with a quick chord progression and a commanding vocal performance. I really dig Gibson’s vocals, as they have a presence that grabs your attention and shifts from storytelling narrative to folksy ballads with relative ease. Great track.
Oh wow, “Fog Horn” starts out with some quick moving acoustic guitar playing as the backdrop of the tune, while a simple bass line gently bounces into the soundscape as though it’s beckoning you to follow down a path. This album has a sound that’s really catching my ear so far. I’m already seeing how much a used copy of it is on Discogs. Wow, great track.
Holy smokes, “Baby, I’m Gone Again” begins with a super sweet acoustic guitar line that almost has a bit of a jazz-inflection. Oh wow, there’s a banjo in the track that really brings emphasizes the folksy roots in this track. This is super groovy. The sound of the track is an effortless combination of jazz and folk music from the time period. Great tune.
“Farewell My Honey, Cindy Jane” gets grooving right away with some quick, folksy playing from the 12-string guitar, and a really sweet bass line that gradually bops the tune forward while Gibson’s dynamic vocals act as the conductor of the song as they guide the tune along. Great track.
Holy smokes, “Some Old Woman (There Is a Woman)” starts out with a sort of blues-inflected bass line that you might hear in a jazz album from the time period, and is soon joined by some acoustic guitar that follows the pacing of the bass line and stirs the track from the background. Wow, there’s so much feeling in Gibson’s dynamic vocal performance. The album almost sounds like it was recorded live; the vocals and guitar work play off each other in a way that sounds very dynamic and nearly unplanned in a super sweet way. Great track.
Holy smokes, “Stella’s Got A New Dress” slows things down with a ballad of sorts with the main melody plucked along by a really sweet banjo, and the accentuations from the acoustic guitar only make the song sweeter. Great tune.
Oh wow, “The Town Crier’s Song (10 O’Clock All Is Well)” has a classic folk ballad feel that sounds like the track is building up to a massive movement as the tune catches momentum. The track sort of reminds me of “Morning Dew”, or even the folk versions of “House of the Rising Sun”. Oh wow, the chords from the acoustic guitar have such a massive weight behind them. Super sweet tune.
Oh wow, “What You Gonna Do?” starts out with a big bass line that has a sort of bluesy jazz feel, and is soon followed by a fast-paced acoustic guitar progression and some quick vocals that combine to remind me of Phil Ochs or Tom Paxton. Wow, great track.
Oh wow, “Betsy from Pike” starts out with what sound to be the same chords and acoustic guitar sounds as “Today” by Jefferson Airplane, but the tune quickly changes up as the big sound of the cello and Gibson’s vocals come into the soundscape, shifting to a quick-paced classic folk storytelling sound, which reminds me a bit of the style of Bob Dylan to some degree. Wow, great track.
“Fare Thee Well (Dink’s Song)” starts out with some really sweet, shifting, folksy acoustic guitar playing, and then is joined by Gibson’s vocals that seem to be tying together the album in a really groovy way. Super sweet track, and a great way to end the listening experience that is this album.
Holy smokes, this album is awesome. If you’re a fan of the American folk revival of the early 1960s, such as artists like Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, or Fred Neil, you might want to consider checking out this album. The album really fit my ear nicely, and I’m probably going to grab a copy on vinyl very soon. The album had classic folk and singer/songwriter flavors from the era, and the bass even reminded me of jazz from the time period. If you do decide to give this album a listen, I sincerely hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A