•
Rating: The name Howe Gelb is inextricably linked to the fate of the band Giant Sand and the desert sound that is more rarefied and psychedelic.
The work of this author, and his production, covers numerous projects, from the historic "Giant sandworms" (Giant Sand) to Rainer, Calexico, Op8, The Friend of Dean Martinez, The Band of Blacky Ranchette. Even his discography as a solo artist is very extensive, starting hesitantly in 1983 with a now rare cassette album, "Incidental Music", and becoming denser from 1991 until 2006, when "'Sno Angel like you" was released. Probably while I'm writing, something else has already come out...
The entire discography is quite immediately characterized by the voice. Warm and slurred, it smiles at Lou Reed and Country passing through Folk and Blues. However, the whole approach is plugged and with a wildly psychedelic vein.
"'Sno Angel like you" somewhat departs from what has been said because it cleans up the distortions to be accompanied by a gospel choir, the Voices Of Praise, a Canadian choir from Ottawa, which softens the tracks and makes everything more traditionalist and Folk. Acoustic guitar, gospel-like choir, very laid-back drums, the picture Howe depicts is as delicate as the reflections on the snow on a winter afternoon. The music is the fireplace around which we sit to listen.
Fourteen tracks, 14 light embroideries, where the dynamics are completely controlled by the choirs that infect with warm soul the pieces that only occasionally get dirty with overdrive sounds and blues-like touches.
Howe takes his time as usual, the work is skillfully adorned, full of verve and rhythms that could serve as a soundtrack to films like "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" by the Coens and often seem to comment on theatrical vaudeville.
Now I'll stop chatting and go back to listening to the album.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Get to Leave (02:55)
Make sure your baby's well tucked
in a blanket in the basket of a back seat
of a wagon that don't run on air
if you can't afford the fuel, pray you get the passion
to keep the spirit rolling and get on out of here
{CHORUS} get to leave, get to leave, get to leave
with rumors of a better world
once you get to leave
with a thimble full of comfort
and a nickels' worth of luck
may you make out with a buck
more then you'll ever need
on this planet made of rock, hard liquor
and discomfort with rumors of a better world
once we get to leave
{CHORUS}
shadowing the season of change
the winds blow in and they rearrange
tending the garden of change
the weeds grow in and they rearrange
maybe it's the angle of the sun
when it's such a twisted light
or the impossible darkness of a starless night
or the triangle of 3 lovers in need of fresh flight
or the maniac mindings of a monocled monk
04 Hey Man (02:40)
Hey man. . . why save that hardship for the older you?
take it on now upon the younger you
don't be afraid when you fear your courage has
been mislaid
don't fret the flight on a dark and dangerous night
{CHORUS} you're here to say ok
not here to stay, ok?
deliver us only this day
hey man. . .
why save that worry for the older you?
take it on now upon the younger you
don't panic your heart before the hard times start
don't tremble and quake
keep a steady float on the overwhelming wake
{CHORUS}
why save that overbearing weight for the older you?
go ahead take it on now upon the stronger you
{CHORUS}
05 The Farm (04:00)
somebody I know taught me without even teaching
the way it was then, not like it is now
it even rained more often
I remember the farm now
Momma's bright dress and the look on your face
When she left
How did we ever survive with so much missing?
Never came on back, it just stayed missing
Like I'm growing radar receiving messages
From out of the plains of Kansas
{CHORUS}
Someone, somewhere, some place, out there
In my arms now, holding my baby
It's as good as I've felt lately
Lily I love you, don't know how I ever
got by without you
never going to leave here
you're not going to change that
no matter how many men you send to lay me flat
{CHORUS}
Somebody I know taught me without teaching
I remember the farm now
12 Worried Spirits (03:10)
Oh my worried spirits
oh my troubled mind
woke me up late last night
just to tell me I wasn't trying
what do you think I'm going to answer?
I know what they told me is true
Well I must care less about some things I guess
What am I to do?
{CHORUS} It's hard to take some time
The strong ones fade
And the weak ones die
But you got to keep on trying
Tell me who's going to pick up the pieces
When you start to break down
Who will be left to answer your questions?
Take a good look around
oh my worried spirits
oh my troubled mind
tell me what are we going to do
when the money's all gone
and we are losing our home
it'll be hard to eat, with a plate on the street
fighting the dog for his bone
{CHORUS}
Loading comments slowly
