Giant Sand
provisions More shadows and mirages from desert rock's central shaman. American deserts spawn rich and convoluted musical chains. In the same way that the tangled Masters of Reality/Queens of the Stone Age/Desert Sessions/Kyuss clique corkscrews through the heart of hard rock, the Friends of Dean Martinez/Calexico/Giant Sand family tree entraps the live roots of modern Americana. Nearly 16 albums in, Giant Sand continues to stand out, with a fractured edge that makes Howe Gelb's visions darker and still subtler than those of his musical cousins. With a rasp that often strangely resembles Shawn Mullins, Gelb's raps are cooler than a caved Gila Monster's stomach scales. Often hushed and challenging, Gelb's greatest paintbrush remains the tactical use of open space, sketched sharply by skeletal guitars and the loose insinuation of movement, as limber basslines sneak through "Muck Machine" and "The New Romance of Falling." Stunning, as always. - Jeff Leven Look for this review in the August edition of Paste magazine. |
Provisions
"Giant Sand is a mood," says Howe Gelb. The creative force behind the extended family that has comprised Giant Sand over the years speaks of happy accidents and musical auras...
