HOWE HOME
The Listener (Thrill Jockey)
Reviewed by John Sekerka

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The voice of the Arizona desert, Howe Gelb comes dangerously close to realizing his musical quest. With his long time rhythm section busy as Calexico, Gelb split recording sessions between his native tumbleweed abode and, uh, Denmark. Seems like a stretch, but Gelb never breaks stride, and the record flows so smoothly you never get a feeling an ocean has been crossed. The rustic, sun-setting soundscapes Gelb has been tampering with for decades have never sounded so accomplished. And in a welcome new direction, Howe does a sultry Serge Gainsbourg turn with the longing whisper of Henriette Sennenvaldt on the tango tinged "Torque." Turns out the old man is a closet romantic, secretly walking in Astor Piazzolla's shoes.

[Pick this up at www.thrilljockey.com.]

© 2003 - John Sekerka