Music Review: Giant Sand's new album is compelling (AP)

Giant Sand, "proVISIONS" (YepRoc)

Howe Gelb recorded the latest Giant Sand album in Denmark with Danes on bass, drums and guitar. Europop this is not, however. In his flat near-whisper, Gelb's still serving up the same quirky, compelling tunes that have allowed the Arizona-based Giant Sand (which at this point is a one-man band in Gelb) to retain a small but loyal following for more than 20 years.

This batch of 13 tunes ranks among Gelb's best. Topics range from refrigerated freight and complicated mornings to sex and war, with wordplay reminiscent of those great early Elvis Costello albums. While the arrangements tend to be sparse, there's plenty of musical variety and creativity. Gelb has fun with rootsy country on "Can Do," pairs psychedelia with a Latin riff on "Muck Machine" and showcases guitar squall on the instrumental "World's End State Park."

With "proVISIONS," Giant Sand has become Denmark's best band.

CHECK THIS OUT: Supported by piano and horns, Gelb finds beauty in bleakness when he covers the P.J. Harvey ballad "The Desperate Kingdom of Love."