4.5 + Howe Gelb and Giant Sand are of a handful of opening bands I've seen that ended up completely upstaging the headlining act. I caught them when they were touring with PJ Harvey in 2000 at the Olympia in Paris. Gelb slayed on guitar - he was shredding so hard his hat fell off his head. After the show, I went to the merch table and paid, I think, $5 for this very CD and I've loved it ever since. "Temptation of Egg" might contain my favorite lyrics in music ("I wake up with something in my eye / I pull out one of your lashes / I like the way you stuck in my eye / I like the way my eye stashes"). There are many amazing songs on here delivered with an uncannily casual sense of subtle poignancy. See also: "Shiver", "Astonished (In Memphis)", "Satellite."