Giant Sand [Album Covers]

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Album Covers : Giant Sand 35 Albums

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1985 Valley of Rain SR	1986 Ballad of a Thin Line Man SR	$[ 3 / 35 ] 1988 The Love Songs On 1988s The Love Songs, Howe Gelb and his ever evolving Giant Sand had all but perfected his trademark brand of exciting, unpredictable, shambolic, fractured roots rock. The band was comprised of Gelb on guitars, piano, organ, and vocals; then-wife Paula Jean Brown on bass; Chris Cacavas (fresh out of Green on Red) on organ, piano, acoustic guitar, and backing vocals; and John Convertino on drums. The strident rigidity of Valley of Rain and the uneven if compelling and ambitious qualities of subsequent albums Ballad of a Thin Line Man and Ramp were fully realized here. "Wearing the Robes of Bible Black" extrapolates on the earlier country-rock GS sound, but is more skeletal and apocalyptic; its hyperkinetic and zig-zags through its careening, off-rail honky tonk/rockabilly rhythm thats underscored by Gelbs spitting vocal. "One Mans Woman/No Mans Land" is the first time Gelb completely indulged his love of Northern soul on record -- albeit in a rock & roll context. The bassline is straight out of "Heatwave"; the backing vocals in the verses are pure Motown as well. Convertinos drums double time and Cacavas organ colors the backdrop. Its in Gelbs shaky voice and his screaming guitar playing that he lets his freak flag fly, before bringing it all down to testify in spoken word gospel fashion. "Mountain of Love" marries Elmore James infamous slide blues riff to country boogie and staccato rock pyrotechnics before a lilting country melody is introduced. The skittering garage band approach to Bob Dylans mid-60s recordings and 70s funk are wed jaggedly but but inextricably together on "Love Like a Train." The cover of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stollers "Is That All There Is?" is an even more jaded-sounding take on Brechtian cabaret than Peggy Lees version (though admittedly nowhere near as well sung). The jittery improv jazz interlude on accordion, organ, and snare adds a surreal touch. The fuzz-drenched reverb on the cover of "Get Ready" turns the songs intentional camp factor into a nasty-ass rock & roll performance. Cut for cut, The Love Songs is among the most consistent and best recordings in GS formidable catalog. Its relatively stripped-down sound allows for the quirky gift in Gelbs songwriting to shine through the primordial rock & roll instinct in the music.$ 1988 The Love Songs SR	1988 Storm SR
1989 Long Stem Rant SR	1989 Giant Songs: The Best of Giant Sand R	$[ 7 / 35 ] 1990 Swerve Featuring a variety of guest performers throughout, including Green on Reds Chris Cacavas, Juliana Hatfield, Steve Wynn, and a fair hunk of Poi Dog Pondering, Swerve features the then duo of Gelb and Convertino on a fine slew of songs. Recorded at a number of different locations, from Boston to Los Angeles, Swerve found Gelb reaching the ten-year point with his band in fantastic style. Starting with the brilliant stop-start electric guitar intro on "Cant Find Love" -- dont listen carefully and it sounds like the CD players on the blink -- Gelb and Convertino and company hit the ground running. Gelbs fractured vision of roots music meets modern times sounded distinct and enjoyable enough at the time of Swerves release, and still holds up excellently in later years. His ear for aggressively weird soloing in particular is just great (check "Dream Stay" for one of his best Neil Young nods yet), while his straight playing remains quite accomplished. Gelbs friendly twang, once again, is a treat, able to convey emotion and humor in the same sly turn of phrase. Quieter songs are no less off-kilter, with Convertinos ear for odd percussion playing and time signatures turning, for instance, the lounge jazz (years before the revival) mania of "Swerver" into something the likes of the Cherry Poppin Daddies couldnt dream of. The swerve theme carries through a number of brief tracks throughout the album, all entertaining little jams that keep things agreeably light. Total standouts include the wry countrynswing of "Some Kind Of," "Trickle Down System," as good an anthemic Band tribute as any, and a version of "Every Grain of Sand" thats simply inspiring, one of the best Bob Dylan covers recorded. Then theres the perfectly screwy "Former Version of Ourselves," which veers from everything from solo synth moodiness to finger-poppin Vegas to more familiar Giant Sand fusions and back again, and makes it all work to boot.$ 1990 Swerve SR	1991 Giant Sandwich R
1991 Ramp SR	1992 Center of the Universe SR	1993 Purge & Slouch SR	1994 Stromausfall
1994 Glum SR	1995 Goods and Services S	1995 Giant Songs, Volume 2: The Best of Giant Sand	1996 Official Bootleg Series, Volume 1
1996 Backyard Barbecue Broadcast R	1997 Valley of Rain / Ballad of a Thin Line Man R	2000 Official Bootleg Series, Volume 2: The Rock Opera Years	2000 Chore of Enchantment SR
2001 Unsungglum (Official Bootleg)	2001 Selections Circa 1990-2000	2002 Official Bootleg Series, Volume 5: Too Many Spare Parts in the Yard Too Close at Hand	2002 Cover Magazine SR
2008 Provisional Supplement	2008 proVISIONS SR	2009 Off Ramp	2010 Blurry Blue Mountain SR
2011 Black Out S	2011 is all over the map SR	2011 Backyard Barbeque Broadcast	2012 Tucson S
2013 Return To Tucson S	2015 Heartbreak Pass SR	2018 Returns to Valley of Rain S