Tucson’s alt-country great Howe Gelb has taken some time off Giant Sand’s farewell tour to bring his fans much-needed good news: although his three-decade-running group will be parting ways once the tour wraps, Gelb’s celebrated 2006 album Sno Angel Like You is getting a deluxe reissue to mark its 10th anniversary. The album will come as a 3CD deluxe package or a double gatefold LP, both including a recording of Sno Angel Like You played live. Old fans will recognize that show as an undercover reissue of the rare Sno Angel Wingin’ It live album, making the bundle twice as special.
A double album, Sno Angel Like You came out as Giant Sand reached its second decade of activity, with its leader and sole constant member Howe Gelb going solo to expand his sonic toolkit with the aid of Canadian gospel choir Voice of Praises. Sparse and elegant as Gelb’s songs often are, Sno Angel Like You’s tracks reach for the elegiac quality of Leonard Cohen by way of Rainer Pateck’s outsider country-blues. The result is not far from the nearly contemporary and similarly grand Abbatoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus, though Gelb leans on gorgeous melodies and lighter sonic touches more often than Nick Cave and his troupe do.
Sno Angel Like You is out on September 23 via Fire Records. You can still catch Giant Sand’s final tour, as the band will be playing select European shows through the summer. Check the dates below.
07.14.16 - Barcelona, Spain - Grec Festival
07.17.16 - Ostrava, Czech Republic - Colours of Ostrava
07.19.16 - Gent, Belgium - Boomtown
08.07.16 - Castelbuono, Italy - Ypsigrock Festival Sicily
08.10.16 - Oslo, Norway - Oye Festival
08.11.16 - Breta, Croatia - Sakan Festival
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