Susan Gibson
The Hard Stuff
Reviewed by Doug Freeman, Fri., Nov. 29, 2019
Susan Gibson's songwriting doesn't pull any punches. Hook-laden and emotionally sharp, the Wimberley songwriter's first full-length of new songs since 2011's Tightrope delivers the kind of character portraits and narratives that elevated her "Wide Open Spaces" to Dixie Chicks-level success. The real treat of The Hard Stuff is the range of melody beyond most singer-songwriters, with the center run of the title track, "Lookin' for a Fight," and "The Big Game" winding unexpected yet infectious. Gibson returns as poignant and vital as ever.
