The back catalogue of Giant Sand, Howe Gelb’s durable desert rock disguise, has been leaking out anew from Fire Records, though usually without much bonus material.
But the band’s pivotal 2000 release arrives as a laden double.
A trio of name producers, including Jim Dickinson, coaxed the serrated edges and ragged rambles of Gelb’s unruly muse into a smooth whole. Shiver, Dirty From The Rain and Astonished In Memphis remain career highs, Gelb’s impressionistic lyrics and loose country licks shining in an un-characteristically considered context. Critics swooned.
For a moment, Gelb might have had it all. But the back roads beckoned.
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube