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Howe Gelb
'Sno Angel Like You
". . . this seemingly impossible combination of gospel singers, grunge rock and introspective lyrics seems effortless and so right."
I consider Howe Gelb to be at the pulse of the Southwest music scene. A resident of Tucson, Ariz., Gelb has consistently reinvented himself over two decades with his original sound and endless collaborations. Whether working with his band Giant Sand or on a solo-project, Gelb endlessly explores the limits of rock-and-roll in a style and expression reminiscent of the southwestern desert landscape: vast, open and full of unexpected surprises.
Gelb is most widely recognized as the founder of Giant Sand, a band he formed in 1980 with long-time friend Rainer Ptacek. For the next 11 years the band underwent many changes when in 1991 Joey Burns and John Convertino joined with Gelb to form the band's most consistent lineup. With this core group of Gelb, Burns and Convertino, in the early '90s came a string of releases that put together Gelb's dusty acoustic musings with grungy garage rock. As time passed, Giant Sand's family became increasingly complex as members left the band to work on separate projects. Convertino and Burns went on to form Calexico and also co-founded The Friends of Dean Martinez. Gelb stayed busy working on solo projects. In 1998 he released his most notable solo project, Hisser, a low-key and elegant affair whose words and music are haunted by the memory of longtime friend and collaborator Ptacek, who had passed away a year earlier.
Now, Gelb has released 'Sno Angel Like You, his fifth solo enterprise.
'Sno Angel Like You came together by way of collaboration. The album was recorded in Ottawa and features a gospel choir from Canada called the Voices of Praise. Gelb and drummer Jeremy Gara, who now plays with the Montreal-based Arcade Fire, recorded the basic arrangements. The Voices of Praise were added later yet the combination feels spontaneous. Other musicians who also helped to on the project are Dave Draves on B-3 organ (Gelb plays one, too), Nick Augustine on bass, Jim Bryson on guitar and Fred Guignon on the slide guitar. 'Sno Angel Like You is a classic Gelb offering, loose, free, spacious and live sounding. The Voices of Praise forces Gelb to tighten up the arrangements providing newer listeners with a palatable introduction to the eccentric genius of his music.
The Voices of Praise is clearly the highlight of 'Sno Angel Like You, with its infectiously rousing back-up vocals. On every track, the Voices of Praise provides the glue to the varied tempo and mood of the album's songs. A perfect example of the Voices of Praise contribution is heard on Gelb's rocking version of Ptacek's "Worried Spirits." Gara's steady drumbeat provides a daunting introduction, and Gelb's vocals chime in: "Oh my worried spirits/oh my troubled mind/woke me up late last night just to tell me that I wasn't trying/what do you think I'm gonna answer?/I know what they told me is true/well I must care less about some things I guess/what am I to do?" In an immediate response, the Voices of Praise wail, "Hard to take some time/the strong ones live and the weak ones die/but you gotta keep on trying." Capping the song is a wicked Gelb guitar solo. Together, this seemingly impossible combination of gospel singers, grunge rock and introspective lyrics seems effortless and so right.
'Sno Angel Like You concludes with the sparse and open sound of "Chore of Enchantment." The Voices of Praise provides a soulful harmony as Gelb's raspy desert voice provides a unique commentary on living: "One of these days/I'm going to get me a plan/I'm going to stick around/to see how it gets all out of hand/I don't need no worry/just the chore of enchantment." The song closes with Gelb on the B-3 organ playing soulfully over the humming Voices of Praise.
Standing at the forefront of Tucson's burgeoning rock-and-roll scene stands Howe Gelb. For the past 20 years, Gelb has created and influenced a brand of music that looks to Southwest living for its inspiration. His honest sound is for music lovers who appreciate musicians more concerned about art than fame. 'Sno Angel Like You is another testament to Gelb's dedication, talent and pursuit for music that strives to hit the heart.
Paul Paradis follows the music scene from Durango where he is program coordinator for Southwest Conservation Corps (www.sccorps.org).
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