As mentioned elsewhere, the Gibson Brothers’ Ring the Bell hit the street this week (5/5).

The first album that the Gibson Brothers have done for their new label, Compass Records, is now available. (Catalogue # 4506)

The collection of a dozen songs features six original pieces (including a co-write with Bob DiPiero); new songs by Shawn Camp/Paul Kennerly, Chet O’Keefe, Joe Newberry and Marshall Warwick; and a relatively obscure Tom Petty song, Angel Dream. Staying true to their farm boy roots, the Gibson Brothers recorded two agricultural-themed songs for this record, one written by Leigh (Bottomland) and one by Eric (Farm Of Yesterday). The latter was written as a tribute to their parents and the family dairy farm that belonged to the Gibson family from 1865 through to 2000.

Of the album as a whole says Eric Gibson …

“I think everything about it – from the album cover to the songs – is an attention getter and I hope folks will notice. Brother bluegrass acts are almost as old bluegrass itself, but I feel like we’ve carved out a special niche for ourselves. We’ve hung in there and toughed it out – we’re still in our 30’s but I feel like we’re bluegrass lifers.”

Produced by the two brothers plus bassist Mike Barber, Ring the Bell has an elated intensity. Eric agrees …

“There is a lot of joy in the music. I think you can tell in listening that we poured our hearts out – not that you can’t tell on our other records – but the joy in our playing and singing. At the same time, it feels like our most hard-driving bluegrass album; there’s more thump on it, a bigger sounding record than we’ve ever had.”

That bigger sound comes from having the whole band – Mike Barber (upright bass), Clayton Campbell (fiddles) and Joe Walsh (mandolin and guitar) – playing on every track. Guest Mike Witcher, from Missy Raines & The New Hip (resonator guitar), is added on a few tracks.

Audio samples are available on the Compass Records web site and in iTunes.