(Semi)New Adventures In Lo(ish)-Fi

"Yippity and Happenstance", according to Howie Gelb, are two of the primary motivating forces behind the ongoing musical trailer park dynasty that is Giant Sand, as well as apt descriptions of the fluidity of the membership. On proVISIONS, there is a central quartet, but one augmented by a cast of, well, several, including M.Ward, Isobel Campbell, PJ Harvey (in a writing capacity) and Neko Case.

Those already familiar with the Gelb / Sand portfolio will surely make testament to the ramshackle and random recording 'methods' which have produced this huge body of work, which is quite a daunting thing to view when you're embarking on your first engagement with the band (as this is for me). However, it does offer the opportunity for the cleanest of slates to be used to try and capture the essence of this record, regardless of how/where it does/doesn't fit with the rest of the oeuvre.

Stranded Pearl provides a plaintive opening ushered along by brushed drums and knots of country guitar, and the wonderful vocal counterpoint of Isobel Campbell, and is followed in a similar vein with the Neko Case featuring Without A Word, albeit with a bit more sheen and stomp in the chorus, a bit more lead in the pencil. Spiral is a moment of piano led magnificence as Gelb tries to identify himself with the universal troubles of us all ; it's one of those wonderful less-is-more moments, an example of effortless control and finesse. Muck Machine contrasts with its perky guitar line traversing a bluesy underbelly and some more of that off balance piano embellishment that works so well across the album.

proVISIONS is at once dark and dense yet lovely and unconstrained, scary yet enchanting, languorous yet quick witted ; it never allows you to become comfortable or disengaged. There is the swampy, muggy Americana you might expect (Out There, The Desperate Kingdom Of Love, Pitch and Sway), but there are also flashes of a funkier groove (Saturated Beyond Repair goes the full way out there with its commanding horn section), and sprinkles and sparkles of light (as evidenced by Belly Full Of Fire's twinkling piano, which is just ever so slightly playful without becoming unnecessary, or Can Do's Cash-esque rockabilly). In fact, Belly Full Of Fire is the centrepiece of the record, dominating it at over eight minutes long. It starts quite parochially, nothing immediately special, but it veers off into alleys and avenues which belie the opening sector.

World's End State Park (Wordless) suggests a harsher, more experimental bent, opening with a lacerating guitar squall, but settles into a velveteen lounge meander. Well Enough Alone provides a wonderful closer, more of the tremulous guitar and chugging rythmns, and its message of how 'you're never gonna leave well enough alone' may well be a grand epithet for Gelb himself. Let's hope he doesn't any time soon.

Release date:01/09/2008
Label:YepRoc Records
Artist Website:www.giantsand.com

(0) comments - discuss in the forum