Giant Sand: Official Bootleg Series Volume One

Giant Sand has meandered around the fringes of indie-rock popularity for nearly 20 years, releasing about that many wildly diverse full-length recordings. With a short-lived major-label deal behind it—a partnership marked by commercial indifference toward its album Glum, as well as ultimate label dissolution—Giant Sand has burrowed into obscurity a bit, releasing only a tiny handful of home recordings since its failed attempt at the big-time. The Arizona band's new Official Bootleg Series Volume One is as small-time as recordings get: With a pressing of 2,000 and distribution only by mail, odds are good that fans of the band's low-key, ramshackle side won't even know it exists. The recording itself displays the slow-moving, quiet side of Giant Sand—no guitar freakouts to speak of here—as well as, of course, the distinctively cracking voice of idiosynchratic frontman Howe Gelb. By definition it's not for everyone, but fans of shambling releases like Glum will enjoy the gentility and modesty of these recordings. (Contact: 800-899-DISC.)