Howe Gelb
'Sno Angel Like You

(Thrill Jockey)

First Appeared in The Music Box, March 2006, Volume 13, #3

Written by Tracy M. Rogers

The inspiration for ’Sno Angel Like You, Giant Sand front man Howe Gelb’s latest album, came three years ago when Gelb was invited to perform at Ottawa, Ontario’s Blues Fest. The event is held in an array of venues scattered throughout the city, and its organizers gave him a slot at the First Baptist Church. Gelb asked the institution’s director if it would be possible to incorporate a gospel choir into his "sonic muck." The director’s reply? "Sure, if you keep it positive." As a result, ’Sno Angel Like You is full of ironic yet hopeful reminiscences and reflections on life, during which Gelb wrestles and finally comes to terms with middle age. Musically, ’Sno Angel Like You is a collection of minimalist, postmodern blues boogies that typically are accompanied only by Gelb’s guitar, Jeremy Gara’s drums, and vocal backing from the Voices of Praise gospel choir.

There are no true standout tracks on ’Sno Angel Like You; there aren’t any crescendos or free falls, either. Instead, the album plugs along at an even clip with Gelb’s dry, Lucinda Williams-like vocals and the choir’s luscious accompaniment at the fore, rendering the actual music almost secondary. The effort’s lyrical highlights include Paradise Here Abouts, Hey Man, and But I Did Not — all of which include two of Gelb’s greatest assets as a songwriter: candor and irony. Paradise Here Abouts is an ode to the complexities and uncertainties that come with knowing that life is never entirely black or white. Hey Man, by contrast, finds Gelb addressing his younger self — and the ignorance and levity of youth in general. The outing’s first single But I Did Not offers a contemplation about the minuscule amount of time that humans are given, and it emphasizes the need to appreciate life, rather than become frustrated and self-obsessed.

Some early critics of ’Sno Angel Like You have treated the album as a mere rehashing of old Giant Sand tunes, but in truth, it’s much more. While the set does feature a quartet of songs plucked from Giant Sand’s repertoire, it merges them with seven new tracks as well as a trio of covers that originally were recorded by the late Czech blues guitarist Rainer Ptacek, a friend of Gelb’s, to create a seamless lyrical narrative. (For the record, Giant Sand did cover Ptacek’s The Farm on 2002’s Infiltration of Dreams.) All in all, ’Sno Angel Like You is an intriguing collection — an unexpected, upbeat meditation on life and on the lessons and questions that come with growing older. ½

Ratings

1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2006 The Music Box