Cowboy Junkies - All That Reckoning
by Carl Bookstein
published: 25 / 9 / 2018

Label:
Proper Music
Format: CD
intro
Political, yet poignant latest album from Canadian alt.country outfit the Cowboy Junkies
Deep, personal and political, 'All That Reckoning' is the Cowboy Junkies’ latest album release. It speaks of a reckoning that is individual and one that is societal as well. The Canadian band is this year celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of their classic album, 'The Trinity Session'. 'All That Reckoning (Part 1)' begins the album; moody, haunted and flowing. Margo Timmins’ vocal joins in beautifully: “I wake up with my heart so full of you,” she sings, and then, “I took my heart and laid it on the floor/You took my hand and softly asked for more.” The song is rich, resonant and subtly folk flavoured. It is also music with an edge-that speaks to both the voice of these artists and the news of the day. 'When We Arrive' begins, shimmering: 'Welcome to the age of disillusion/Welcome to the days of wine and roses.” “Above all else,” Margo sings, “keep your actions faithful.” Margo is singing of the search for common ground, “Where all love will be found.” Soothing instrumentals compliment her lovely vocals. 'Wooden Stairs' is sombre, again flowing, pretty. 'Sing Me a Song' begins with an abrasive, jarring start but is edgy and awakening: “Sing me a song about life in America." 'Mountain Stream' is of slow tempo and poignant. “I had a dream I was a king/A king of empty things.” The lyric of 'Missing Children' is again edgy and dark. The lyric speaks of “mugging politicians” and “intense concentration.” The Cowboy Junkies are speaking to their world and our world. With stinging guitars, their delivery is effective. 'Shining Teeth' possesses delicate flowing instrumentals and a soft tender vocal. “Share with me the wounds that still haunt you,” Margo sings, and “Going down to the river, wash the blood away, wash my pain away.” 'All That Reckoning (Part 2)' is more stinging electric guitar, a rich delivery, a full on Margo vocal. “My heart is so full of you,” she again sings. 'The Possessed' is the soft, contemplative closer. “I found the devil disguised as light… you are mine.” There is a shimmering mandolin and the album comes to a close. 'All That Reckoning' is a personal, political and powerful album by the Cowboy Junkies. It offers a bounty of rewards.
Track Listing:-
1 All That Reckoning (Part 1)2 When We Arrive
3 The Things We Do To Each Other
4 Wooden Stairs
5 Sing Me A Song
6 Mountain Stream
7 Missing Children
8 Shining Teeth
9 Nose Before Ear
10 All That Reckoning (Part 2)
11 The Possessed
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/cowboyjunkieshttp://www.cowboyjunkies.com/
https://twitter.com/cjmusic
https://plus.google.com/+Latentrecordings1
Have a Listen:-
interviews |
Interview (2011) |
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The guitarist and main songwriter with the Cowboy Junkies, Michael Timmins speaks to Richard Lewis about his group's long history, and and their latest record, ‘Demons’, which is a set of covers of songs by their friend Vic Chesnutt who died in 2009 |
soundcloud
reviews |
The Wilderness (2012) |
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Poignantly fragile but rewarding latest album, the last in their Nomads series, from the Cowboy Junkies |
Demons (2011) |
Renmin Park (2010) |
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