The Inner Flame (A Tribute To Rainer Ptacek)

An album put together by Giant Sand’s Howe Gelb to help cover some of the hospital bills when his original Sand compadre Rainer Ptacek fell gravely ill in 1996. 18 tracks including Plant and Page, a precocious Lucinda Williams, the masterful Chuck Prophet, an aching take from Evan Dando, Victoria Williams, a wonderfully petulant PJ Harvey and Jonathan Richman trading guitar licks. Highlights range from Emmylou Harris' sepulchral rendition of The Good Book with Rainer providing instrumental support, to a blistering finale of Powder Keg that finds Buffalo Tom's Bill Janovitz fronting Giant Sand.

2LP - Flame marbled double vinyl LP, printed inners with Download.