Tucson is a self-described country rock opera with a storyline, one of the few avenues Gelb hasn't explored in his three-decade plus career. This album tells a story about a man with a boyish and idealistic demeanor who leaves the city and his former self for a life-altering excursion, and it finds Gelb and company taking on perhaps their most intriguing listen in recent years. The boy finds plenty of distractions along the way, including Mexican jail and the hope of new love. The plot twists and turns, which only makes sense, considering Tucson is over an hour long.
With an additional string section, pedal steel musician, and female guest vocals, Giant Giant Sand certainly live up to the country rock label, but they also take on hints of honky tonk swagger, blues traces, and gritty alt-country. On “Adios Loser,” they put Mariachi trumpets and accordions to good use, invoking a sound not far from more recent Calexico albums. The bluegrass moments are abundant, from “Thing Like That” and the maudlin “Plain Of Existence.” It's far from a subdued affair, though. On “The Song Belongs To You,” things get restless with flamenco stabs, and it is probably the most upbeat part of the disc. The best moment comes on a jazzy, sexy duet with Lonna Kelley, “Ready Or Not,” which is an instantly memorable track with timeless appeal.
After 25+ albums, you'd think that Giant Sand would be on autopilot by now, but Gelb continues to reach into a deep bag of creativity. Anyone who enjoys anything resembling country rock, blues, and dusty, graceful Americana will find Tucson an alluring, accomplished listen with a high level of sophistication.