It was released on 5 November 2013 worldwide, by American independent label New West Records.

Teaming up with M. Ward and Steve Shelley from Sonic Youth, Gelb brings eleven songs inspired by his native Arizona Desert, in which he recorded KT Tunstall's fifth album Invisible Empire // Crescent Moon earlier in 2013.

Recorded at Tucson's Wavelab Studio & Harvey Moltz's studio, The Coincidentalist is an Acoustic rock LP that features guest contributions from Bonnie 'Prince' Billy and KT Tunstall, and received critical acclaim.

Mojo magazine, with 4 out of 5 stars, wrote that "it's his excellently loose band (featuring M. Ward and Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley), intimate vocals and fondness for chimes that keep the disintegrating threads woven together".

AllMusic gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, writing: "The Coincidentalist is one of Gelb's most realized efforts; despite its relaxed, airy presentation, it's musically and lyrically provocative, as poetic, strange, and mysterious as the desert itself."