The first time I heard Daughn Gibson, I thought his voice was some kind of joke. That tone and style are the sort that you’re more likely to hear at a cheesy karaoke bar than on an album. After listening to the single, “Tiffany Lou”, from his debut release All Hell in 2011, I couldn’t help but think of Chris Issak’s “Wicked Games” layered over Washed Out’s “Feel It All Around” (the theme song from Portlandia) with pseudo-Johnny Cash vocals on top. The mix of electronic back-beat with old-school country storytelling and bravado vocals is something I haven’t heard before or since.
Sure, Dirty Beaches has the same “old-meets-new” aesthetic, combining music that sounds like something your grandma might like with simple, electronic beats and hazy, distorted vocals. Dirty Beaches’ music, though, starts to feel gimmicky because of its “cool”. Daughn Gibson feels authentic. He doesn’t care that everyone isn’t sure what to make of his sound — he’s like that uncle whose jokes go a little too far, but you’re happy he’s around because his obliviousness is refreshing and adds something new to the party.
On Daughn Gibson’s second full-length album, Me Moan, we’re introduced to a matured sound, which is less reverb-y, highly polished and not reliant upon the shock value of such strange vocal stylings. There’s no fear of the unknown here, and Gibson’s confidence in his act allows for really experimental music that succeeds more than it fails.
The first track on the album, “The Sound of Law”, feels like a fast-paced Johnny Cash track with some 80′s keyboards and crashing melodic choruses sprinkled in. “Phantom Rider” has a distinct, breathy, snappy electronic back-beat that doesn’t quite match up with the vocals or the story until the song is almost over, but that’s Gibson’s style — he makes you work to enjoy the music. The first truly memorable track is “Mad Ocean”, where the weird arrangements and bagpipe backing begins to feel normal. Me Moan hits its stride with a masterful trifecta in the middle of the album starting with “You Don’t Fade”. The juxtaposition of the M.I.A.-style electronic sample with Gibson’s countrified vocals gives it an easy, constant beat that makes it the perfect song to enjoy while walking or riding the subway. Next up is “Franco”, a track with a slower arrangement and honest storytelling, helping us to step back from the show and appreciate Daughn Gibson as a songwriter. “Franco” ends up being the ballad that stays in your head long after the album is over. Completing this triangle of perfection, “Won’t You Climb” brings back the “Wicked Game”/80′s experimental elements of Gibson’s sound that compliment his singing, showing how sometimes the strangest pairings work best together.
All in all, Me Moan is an album you’ve got to take a chance on to really enjoy. After a few listens through, it’s nearly impossible not to fall victim to Daughn Gibson’s edgy, tortured charm.