Richard Gilbert

Richard Gilbert’s songs are image-rich narratives built around insightful lyrics and perfectly placed melodies that reflect on a range of emotions, public and private, making statements you can relate to with messages that touch. His album ‘I Love The Night’ follows thatrichard gilbert album cover 001 trend but there’s also an enduring theme of travelling within its songs, not merely physical journeying but philosophies of moving on, looking back and restlessness. If there was an album to offer itself as a perfect soundtrack for a ‘road movie’ or ‘right-of-passage’ story, then this is the one – film producers take note.

There’s the same laid back vocals that relate the stories giving them a warmth and ready acceptance that makes you want to take to the journey with Gilbert, just to see where the road goes or where it’s been. ‘This Old Highway’ leads you in, ‘In My Arms’ shares the everyday reality of relationships, while the title track ‘I Love The Night’, takes a pragmatic look back down the road of experience. The album is only six tracks long, which is a shame, but that only makes those of us of a certain age want to hear more of these musical and poetic journeyings, especially if they follow the memory-filled ‘I Would Go’ – love that song .

The artists playing on ‘I Love The Night’ are Richard Gilbert (guitar, lead vocals) Jesse Thompson (upright bass, vocals) and Melissa Ratley (vocals).

Website: richardgilbertmusic.com

Review: Tom Franks - Folkwords

I Love the Night is Denton folk artist Richard Gilbert’s quiet EP on matters of the heart.
Gilbert is a fixture on the local folk scene where his music was born during a 2004 open mic. He’s a reliable act from the days of Banter (before it morphed into it’s latest and sleek iteration, 940’s Kitchen and Cocktails) who often accompanies himself with guitar. He sometimes gathers other acoustic players to add depth to the down-home, humble melodies.
Sporting just six songs, I Love the Night is straightforward stuff about love, risk and really looking around you. In his fourth recording, Gilbert, who is in the lineup for Oaktopia fest this weekend, is keeping his sound uncomplicated. The title track looks back on youthful arrogance, and the pleasure of learning to be in the now. “Fly Away” sounds like the second part of the the title track, looking up and away from the dark streets. “I Would Go” is both a wistful look back and a signal of hope. “My better days are up ahead,” Gilbert sings. “I count them every day.”
Gilbert’s music taken in a session can be a touch lulling. It’s music meant for listening, music that is sometimes happy when it sounds sad. And Gilbert’s music is always sincere. I Love the Night isn’t a departure from what has come before, but it is somehow more bare and — at turns — affecting. Lucinda Breeding - Denton Record Chronicle~~ Lucinda Breeding

About a month or so ago, Jessie Frye sent me an invite on Facebook to like the page of Richard Gilbert. And when someone as talented as Ms. Frye passes on a recommendation, you take notice. So I immediately went to check out Mr. Gilbert’s music. I liked what I heard of his music, and liked his page.

Yesterday, Mr. Gilbert contacted me regarding the release of a music video of his, I was curious. I suspect I would like the video. What I watched however, caught me off guard. To say that I like the video and the song would be an understatement. “I Love the Night” is a powerful video and song. The video, directed by Adrian Samano of Filmhaus Productions, works because of its stark simplicity. The images of Mr. Gilbert looking at the young couple, walking through the streets of Denton, and performing on the rooftop, are a perfect accompaniment to this haunting acoustic song.

Lyrically, Mr. Gilbert’s style is simple, straight forward, and goes straight for your heart. Lines like “When I was 15, I made fun of a boy I barely knew/I still look back and think how could I’ve been so cruel” are unsettlingly honest, making the song all that much more compelling.

Mr. Gilbert’s EP release show is August 22nd at Harvest House, along with Exit 380 and Ellie Meyer. He’s still raising funds in order to be able to release the I Love the Night EP. If you can afford to do so, click here to contribute. Mr. Gilbert’s music needs to be heard, as you will be able to see when you watch the video below for “I Love the Night”. - Ghost Of Blind Lemon

t’s ‘man with guitar’ time again (as a certain Mr Carroll often says) – that’s one man writing, singing and playing. This time it’s ‘On The Run’ from Texas-born Richard Allen Gilbert. Actually, it’s a touch more than one man as Michael Richard Allen GilbertPurser adds some inspired violin accents to Richard’s songs. The bottom line is this – it’s one man’s album of timeless acoustic songs equally at home from this year, last year or thirty years ago.

I’m told by artists that release their own work that it takes courage to let loose your songs to the world. You ache that your music will to get to people. You pour your soul into the lyrics. You lay bare your heart in their performance. You throw your songs out there and hope no one treads on your dreams. No fear of that here - Richard Allen Gilbert writes insightful lyrics, sings evocative songs and plays guitar with an unpretentious yet precise style. This one’s going to get you for sure.

His laconic, almost nonchalant vocal delivery belies the intensity of emotion wrapped up in the songs. These tunes fall easily to your ears and lead you into the depths of the stories Richard tells so well From the restless questing of ‘On The Run’ through the reflective ‘Nothin’ But A Dream’ to the dark sadness of ‘Black Sunday’ and the quiet memories of ‘I Would Go’ – these are soul-soothing songs that will stand the test of time. And yet Richard’s an unsigned artist – you have to ask why, is there no justice? - Folk Words