Howe Gelb is a citizen of the world. He lived for some time in Denmark - where he met his wife - and Spain, but his musical roots lie mainly in the Arizona desert. After the resurrection of his band Giant Sand in early 2013, he started working on this album in Tucson. The result is a subdued record, which in style resembles the 2010 album Alegrias recorded in Spain. This time, sandy Arizona is the
… desolate backdrop for poignant stories about lonely souls in search of a better life. Highlights are the haunting The 3 Deaths of Lucky and the raw Picacho Peak on which Gelb can be heard almost in a whisper while only accompanied by a piano. Despite the fact that he does not seem to break through with the general public, he is an established name in the music industry after three decades. The proof is the impressive list of guest musicians who were eager to participate in The Conicidentalist. The names include Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Andrew Bird, KT Tunstall and Steve Shelley. (BvdV)more
