photo by Margaret Anna Media; photo courtesy of Skye Media

Single Reviews of Erin Gibney: “Kryptonite” and “by june”

You’ve read about Erin Gibney here before. I reviewed her single “You Made Your Bed” in 2023. Well, don’t sleep on Erin; this is a singer-songwriter with big-time chops!

image courtesy of Skye Media

Within the past year, Gibney has released a few singles. This review focuses on a pair of Erin’s 2024 releases, the singles “Kryptonite” and “By June.” The songs are varied enough to show a bit of range – something always cool to notice – and solidify my impression of her songwriting prowess, helping prove she didn’t “peak” with the song that first earned my attention, “You Made Your Bed.”

“Kryptonite,” a spring 2024 release with cover art that looks like ’60s pop art a la Lichtenstein but without the dots, is a memorable song with a lightly pleasant vibe and the singalongable line “you’re my kryptonite,” a lyric that summarizes the storyline of this well-written, sweetly emotional, relatable soft-pop tune.

image courtesy of Skye Media

Fall release “by june” gives away its melancholy immediately with a rich, sad, sweeping sound bed befitting Gibney’s wistful vocals and clever lyrics, “By August I’ll quit calling just to hear you say my name. December I won’t remember the way your hands felt on my waist. And by March it won’t be so hard to picture me with someone new. And if they’re right on the timeline I’ll be over you by June.” Heavy! And the words ring true.

Gibney’s delivery is engaging in a way that suggests future singing success. And her songwriting is insightful and clever enough to guarantee a future as a songwriter, even if the stars don’t align for singing stardom. I’m hoping, though, that they do.

photo by Vincent Pecoraro; photo courtesy of Skye Media

More Recently

Just as I was wrapping up my first draft of this review last week, Gibney dropped another single, the countryesque crooner “Leave the Pieces,” replete with twangy, swiftly strummed guitarwork. I’ve only given this new song a couple listens, so I won’t do an in-depth review, but, um, Erin can write and sing country music, too. It just isn’t fair to the other singer-songwriters out there, is it?

photo by Margaret Anna Media; photo courtesy of Skye Media

Single Review of Erin Gibney: “You Made Your Bed” (Rock Ridge Music)

I can’t get this song out of my head! It’s tempting to compare Erin Gibney to Taylor Swift because “You Made Your Bed,” which Erin cowrote with Mike Fiorentino, is a sassy, self-assured, peppy pop-rock anthem with cleverly-phrased lyrics that are well worth paying attention to. But there’s some Jimmy Eat World in the song style and energy, especially the more noisy, rollicking guitar parts, and particularly toward the end, that most reminds me of “Pain.” And there’s a kind of light energy that suggests a hint of Carly Rae Jepsen – notably the terribly-overexposed but, you’ve gotta admit, catchy vibe of “Call Me Maybe.” Erin’s vocals are persistent and insistent, while her tone is kind of snarky, helping deliver a song that’s oh, so entertaining. And, by acknowledging that cleverly biting wit and attitude, I’ve brought the review full-circle, back to a Taylor Swift comparison.

image courtesy of Skye Media

It’s apparent that if “You Made Your Bed” had been recorded by an already-well-known vocalist, this instant earworm would be on hourly rotation at your favorite pop radio station. Instead, you’re presented with an opportunity to get in early on an artist with the talent to be a big deal one day. (And even if that never happens, well, you’ll still dig her music.)

As for this particular song, I guarantee you’ll thank me for introducing you to an energetically hooky, catchy song like “You Made Your Bed.” But after a while, you’ll probably hate me, too, because you won’t be able to get it out of your head. Either way, this song is a must-hear!

More About Erin

“You Made Your Bed” is Erin’s fourth single release of 2023 – on Spotify, at least. Erin opened the year with a silky smooth, acoustic version of her song “Naive,” then dropped the pop-countrier flavored “Exit Signs” (featuring Kris Allen) and “Take Me Out of Him” before releasing “You Made Your Bed.”

The “Shows” page of Erin’s website doesn’t currently list any upcoming gigs, but that’s (maybe) where you’d find them.

Finally, you seriously need to see what Erin’s been up to on YouTube. Particularly, the three “Shorts” that are sped-up snippets of “You Made Your Bed,” during which Erin lip-syncs to chipmunk-speed recordings of her own music. I’m sure they’re not as funny as I think they are, but I don’t care. (You can also find those same three clips on Erin’s TikTok, but they’re mixed in with a lot more other content.)