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-fuid configurations of Giant Sand for over a quarter century. 2010 marks the 25th anniversary of the bands 1985 debut long player “Valley Of Rain” - the point in which Howes music visions began - and will see the release of the complete works of Giant Sand, Howe Gelb, Arizona Amp and The Bands Of Blacky Ranchette – a collection of works that maintains its own genre-defying singularity drawing on the not-so disparate threads of his south western roots, lo-fi , country, jazz, and punk ... “Giant Sand is a mood," explained Howe, as if to simplify the dizzying breadth of his prolific output as an artist.

SNOWBLINK

Currently a Toronto-based duo comprised of Daniela Gesundheit (Bruce Peninsula) and Dan Goldman, the line-up of Snowblink past has been known to expand to include other extended-community members -- MGMT, Nat Baldwin (Dirty Projectors), Frank Lyon (Keepaway), Caley Monahon-Ward (Extra Life), and fellow Fire artist Ryan Driver among them.

Snowblink have quickly joined the ranks of some of Canada's brightest musicians, collaborating and performing alongside Arts & Crafts artists Timber Timbre, The Hidden Cameras, Jason Collette, Broken Social Scene, and Apostle of Hustle, in addition to Owen Pallett, Ron Sexsmith, and others with their live shows gaining high praise by Toronto's NOW magazine.

Even in its state of pre-release, Snowblink's Long Live has garnered much acclaim in the US. It was named on several end-of-year best-of lists, including CBC Radio 2, Exclaim Magazine, and WNYC. Songs from the record have been recorded live and aired by WNYC, Daytrotter, and CBC Concerts on Demand. The collaborators and guest appearances on the record include Jay Pellicci (Deerhoof), Thom Monahan (Devendra Banhart, Vetiver), Nat Baldwin (Dirty Projectors), Frank Lyon (Keepaway), and fellow Fire artist Ryan Driver (The Silt, Deep Dark United).

"Snowblink offers shadowy folk-pop with hints of Animal Collective and old Phil Spector sides."
--TIME OUT NEW YORK

DUKE GARWOOD

“Visionary, challenging, anything but casual listening, it takes the blues to a new place” – Maverick

“Reared on a sonic diet of blues and classical, Garwood doubles as occasional clarinettist with the Archie Bronson Outfit, but in his own right makes wracked country-blues albums..It's a sound which prizes mood, depth and authenticity over sophisticated surfaces, with the erratic, apparently off-tune guitar, splashy, shuffling drums and sundry squawking horns recalling Tom Waits, while the bricolage of metallic percussion and avant-twang guitar flourishes owes a clear debt to Captain Beefheart.” – The Independent

Duke Garwood is the sometime collaborator of Archie Bronson Outfit (he plays clarinet with the Domino three-piece) and is currently recording a collaboration with Mark Lanegan.