THIS IS EROSION ROCK: Inaccurately yet affectionately dubbed “the Godfather of Alt. Country” by the British press, Tucson, Arizona-based musician Howe Gelb has remained the sole epicenter and creative force behind the ever-fluid configurations of Giant Sand for over a quarter century, giving birth along the way to an extended musical family tree that fostered the likes of The Band of…Blacky Ranchette, The Friends of Dean Martinez, OP8, and Calexico.
"Giant Sand is a mood," explained Howe, as if to simplify the dizzying breadth of his prolific output as an artist. With an impressive catalog of material that stretches back to 1983, he can easily claim some 40 albums to his credentials as both a band leader and a solo performer, each of which maintains its own genre-defying singularity while also drawing on the not-so disparate threads of country, southwestern roots, lo-fi, jazz, and punk--or the “yippity and happenstance“ that arises to inspire the soundscape of
whatever project Gelb is involved in creating.
But Howe’s initial signposts were planted crookedly in Pennsylvania during the 1970s, among them being the rock opera ZEQE 24,088 which was recorded in 3 hours at a PBS radio station. In 1972, when floodwaters claimed his hometown and family house, ultimately sending him downstream to Arizona alongside the debris of his parents’ divorce, the song “Steadfast” was born as an articulation of that disaster. Soon upon arriving in Tucson, he met his sonic soul mate in the guitarist Rainer Ptacek, and as a result the two went on to form the Giant Sandworms. After releasing only a handful of singles and recordings, the worms were finally put to rest, making room for Giant Sand to bubble comfortably from the soil by the early 1980s. From that time on, in one manifestation or another, an album of Howe’s music has been recorded and delivered every 4 to 8 months.
Now following a nearly four year hiatus, Giant Sand returns with the release of proVISIONS on September 2, 2008. Produced by Howe and Kent Olsen (Arizona Amp
and Alternator, Marie Frank), the album’s 13 tracks were recorded during a summer in Denmark, and features the Danish musicians Thoger T. Lund (bass), Peter Dombernowsky (drums), and Anders Pedersen (slide guitar). As with past incarnations of the band, the current lineup utilizes a more natural form of playing, relying heavily on improvisation and “on the fly“ problem solving, as well as exploring melodic variations within Howe’s songs.
Also lending themselves to the casual mix are a host of talented friends/collaborators--such as Neko Case, M. Ward, Isobell Campbell, Henriette Sennenvaldt, Lucie Idlout and Lonna Kelley--all of whom ease warmly into the passenger seat to ride shotgun for a while on an album thick with musings scattered by the desert winds and soaked with eroding guitars or dusty piano.
Providing an alternate route around box-store labels like “Alt. Country” while ruminating on love and loss in the socio-political climate of a modern world at odds with itself, proVISIONS is a creeping cruise down a dark desert highway, forging another surprising and welcome byway in the completely unique musical legacy of Giant Sand.
~ bio by Mitch Cullin
Cold
Howe Gelb Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
she had a clock that made the train on time
she had a pillow that made the blues feel fine
she had me with the same old line
never make it by design
getting in and out in time
survival means you're doing fine
building up the roadways
making the old ones only go one way
getting folks like her to move today
if you lived here you'd be home by now so they say
never make it by design
getting out and in in time
arrival means you're doing fine
she used to say it was so cool
till she felt it got too cool
she moved to town with her favorite tool
now see how cool tools to cruel
survival means you're doing fine
never making it by design
arrival means you're right on time
The lyrics of "Cold" by Howe Gelb seem to be about a woman who possesses a variety of things that make life easier and more comfortable. She has a clock that keeps her punctual, a pillow that helps her deal with difficult emotions, and she even seems to have the power to create her own sunshine. However, despite all of these things, she still uses the same old line to win over the singer. The lyrics suggest that the woman is perhaps a bit superficial and materialistic, valuing possessions and appearances over real, emotional connections.
The song also seems to be speaking more broadly about modern society and the way that people emphasize productivity and efficiency over genuine human connection. The lines "never make it by design, getting in and out in time, survival means you're doing fine" suggest that people are too focused on meeting expectations and staying on schedule to really live and enjoy their lives. The talk of roadways and moving people also suggests a sense of constant motion and never-ending progress, with people always on the move towards some distant goal.
In the second half of the song, the lyrics take a darker turn as the woman realizes that her cool tools have become cruel and she is forced to prioritize survival over happiness. The repetition of the lines "survival means you're doing fine, never making it by design, arrival means you're right on time" reinforces the idea that people are more concerned with external markers of success than with their own well-being and happiness.
Overall, "Cold" is a thoughtful critique of modern society's emphasis on productivity and efficiency, suggesting that perhaps we should focus more on true human connections and emotional well-being instead.
Line by Line Meaning
she was a machine that made sunshine
She had a bright and positive outlook on life, like a machine that creates sunshine.
she had a clock that made the train on time
She was punctual and reliable, always making sure things ran smoothly like a clock that keeps trains on schedule.
she had a pillow that made the blues feel fine
She had a comforting and soothing presence, able to ease people's sadness and make them feel better like a pillow that provides comfort during hard times.
she had me with the same old line
She used the same method to attract and keep people, which worked on the artist.
never make it by design
Success is not always planned, as sometimes things happen by chance or circumstance regardless of intention.
getting in and out in time
Being able to move quickly and efficiently, getting things done in a timely manner.
survival means you're doing fine
Simply surviving and getting by is an accomplishment in and of itself, and should be seen as a success.
building up the roadways
Working to create new paths and opportunities for others to follow.
making the old ones only go one way
Limiting what has come before and forcing it to move in a certain direction, not allowing for any other alternatives.
getting folks like her to move today
Encouraging people who possess qualities like her to take action and make progress towards their goals.
if you lived here you'd be home by now so they say
Promoting a sense of belonging and community, suggesting that this place is a comfortable and safe space where people can feel at home.
she used to say it was so cool
The artist recalls how she used to describe things positively and with excitement.
till she felt it got too cool
Until it became too trendy or trendy in a way that she no longer felt comfortable with.
she moved to town with her favorite tool
She took something she was attached to or good at with her when she moved to a new place.
now see how cool tools to cruel
The singer reflects on how things that used to be cool and enjoyable can quickly become cruel or difficult to handle.
arrival means you're doing fine
Being able to reach a destination or goal is an accomplishment in and of itself, and should be seen as a success.
Contributed by Elena T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.