Record Reviews
📝 2096 reviews| Artist | Title | Review |
|---|---|---|
| Bruce Cockburn | In The Falling Dark | <p>With every album he released during the first half of the '70s, Bruce Cockburn continued to evolve and show signs of greatness, and with his seventh, In the Falling Dark, he makes good on these promises. As a whole, this record trumps anything that its predecessors had to offer, almost to the point where it's difficult to imagine that it followed the release of Joy Will Find a Way by only a year. The sound that was merely suggested on his previous recordings is fully realized here: check out the flute and trumpet interplay on the jazz inflected instrumental "Giftbearer," the hypnotic "I'm Gonna Fly Someday" with its irresistible flute, horn, and voice line, and Fred Stone's flügelhorn on "Silver Wheels." Furthermore, the songwriting is without a doubt his most consistent; "Lord of the Starfields" and the evocative title track are the pinnacle of his Christian mysticism, whereas the aforementioned "Silver Wheels" is one of his keenest social observations to date. There's still the occasional slide into the sort of hippie-ish sentiments that have plagued his recordings from time to time, but even at its most mawkish, there's a sweetness and warmth to the material. His first U.S. release since 1972, In the Falling Dark may not have made Bruce Cockburn a household name, but it did mark his emergence as an important artist.</p><p>—<strong>Brett Hartenbach</strong></p> |
| Bruce Cockburn | In The Falling Dark [Deluxe Edition] | <p>With every album he released during the first half of the '70s, Bruce Cockburn continued to evolve and show signs of greatness, and with his seventh, In the Falling Dark, he makes good on these promises. As a whole, this record trumps anything that its predecessors had to offer, almost to the point where it's difficult to imagine that it followed the release of Joy Will Find a Way by only a year. The sound that was merely suggested on his previous recordings is fully realized here: check out the flute and trumpet interplay on the jazz-inflected instrumental "Giftbearer," the hypnotic "I'm Gonna Fly Someday" with its irresistible flute, horn, and voice line, and Fred Stone's flügelhorn on "Silver Wheels." Furthermore, the songwriting is without a doubt his most consistent; "Lord of the Starfields" and the evocative title track are the pinnacle of his Christian mysticism, whereas the aforementioned "Silver Wheels" is one of his keenest social observations to date. There's still the occasional slide into the sort of hippie-ish sentiments that have plagued his recordings from time to time, but even at its most mawkish, there's a sweetness and warmth to the material. His first U.S. release since 1972, In the Falling Dark may not have made Bruce Cockburn a household name, but it did mark his emergence as an important artist.</p>— <strong>Brett Hartenbach</strong> |
| Bruce Cockburn | Circles In The Stream | <p>Released shortly after the transitional In the Falling Dark, Circles in the Stream seemed to serve as the final chapter in Bruce Cockburn's promising yet inconsistent early career. Recorded live in Toronto, the record brings together some of Cockburn's best songs from this period, including the beautiful meditation "All the Diamonds in the World," the bluesy "Mama Just Wants to Barrelhouse All Night Long," and "Lord of the Starfields" from his previous release. And while there isn't anything drastically different here, many of the tracks are more assured and fully realized than their studio counterparts, with Cockburn's guitar and voice front and center -- solo or backed by subtle bass, percussion, and piano or marimba. There are also a scattering of new tunes that mix nicely with the older material, with the Native American tribute "Red Brother, Red Sister" and the instrumental "Deer Dancing Round a Broken Mirror" the true standouts. Strong performances and a good selection of songs help Circles in the Stream succeed not only as a good live album, but also as a decent retrospective of Cockburn's first seven years.</p><p>—<strong>Brett Hartenbach</strong></p> |
| Bruce Cockburn | Further Adventures Of | <p>Further Adventures Of, though it may contain Bruce Cockburn's usual mix of beautifully intricate acoustic work and pastoral mysticism, along with the occasional touches of anger and irony, continues the growth that was so evident on his last studio outing In the Falling Dark. And while it may lack anything quite as powerful as "Lord of the Starfields" or the title song from that record, the use of his electric guitar, which is at the forefront on a couple of tracks, brings a bit more of an edge to the proceedings. Lyrically, his odes to God and nature can still at times be as soft as his social relevance can be heavy-handed, but cuts such as the joyful "Rainfall," the bilingual "Pernons La Mer," and the Eastern meditation "Nanzen Ji" get by on their sheer beauty, while "A Montreal Song" and the pensive "Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money in My Hand" are sharp and effective. The latter, with its lyrical urgency and effected electric guitar, shows a toughness in his songwriting, as well as the direction of his sound, both of which would become even more prevalent in the coming years. Like much of Cockburn's earlier output, Further Adventures Of, though not a major work in his catalog, shows flashes of brilliance among some fairly ordinary material that's distinguished only by his excellent guitar. Beyond this, it serves as another steppingstone to what would be the most impressive period of his career -- including the gorgeous Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws (1979) and his stunning work of the early '80s -- and is worth a listen.</p><p>—<strong>Brett Hartenbach</strong></p> |
| Bruce Cockburn | Further Adventures Of | <p>Further Adventures Of, though it may contain Bruce Cockburn's usual mix of beautifully intricate acoustic work and pastoral mysticism, along with the occasional touches of anger and irony, continues the growth that was so evident on his last studio outing In the Falling Dark. And while it may lack anything quite as powerful as "Lord of the Starfields" or the title song from that record, the use of his electric guitar, which is at the forefront on a couple of tracks, brings a bit more of an edge to the proceedings. Lyrically, his odes to God and nature can still at times be as soft as his social relevance can be heavy-handed, but cuts such as the joyful "Rainfall," the bilingual "Pernons La Mer," and the Eastern meditation "Nanzen Ji" get by on their sheer beauty, while "A Montreal Song" and the pensive "Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money in My Hand" are sharp and effective. The latter, with its lyrical urgency and effected electric guitar, shows a toughness in his songwriting, as well as the direction of his sound, both of which would become even more prevalent in the coming years. Like much of Cockburn's earlier output, Further Adventures Of, though not a major work in his catalog, shows flashes of brilliance among some fairly ordinary material that's distinguished only by his excellent guitar. Beyond this, it serves as another steppingstone to what would be the most impressive period of his career -- including the gorgeous Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws (1979) and his stunning work of the early '80s -- and is worth a listen.</p><p>—<strong>Brett Hartenbach</strong></p> |
| Bruce Cockburn | Further Adventures Of [Deluxe Edition] | <p>Further Adventures Of, though it may contain Bruce Cockburn's usual mix of beautifully intricate acoustic work and pastoral mysticism, along with the occasional touches of anger and irony, continues the growth that was so evident on his last studio outing In the Falling Dark. And while it may lack anything quite as powerful as "Lord of the Starfields" or the title song from that record, the use of his electric guitar, which is at the forefront on a couple of tracks, brings a bit more of an edge to the proceedings. Lyrically, his odes to God and nature can still at times be as soft as his social relevance can be heavy-handed, but cuts such as the joyful "Rainfall," the bilingual "Pernons La Mer," and the Eastern meditation "Nanzen Ji" get by on their sheer beauty, while "A Montreal Song" and the pensive "Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money in My Hand" are sharp and effective. The latter, with its lyrical urgency and effected electric guitar, shows a toughness in his songwriting, as well as the direction of his sound, both of which would become even more prevalent in the coming years. Like much of Cockburn's earlier output, Further Adventures Of, though not a major work in his catalog, shows flashes of brilliance among some fairly ordinary material that's distinguished only by his excellent guitar. Beyond this, it serves as another steppingstone to what would be the most impressive period of his career — including the gorgeous Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws (1979) and his stunning work of the early '80s — and is worth a listen.</p>— <strong>Brett Hartenbach</strong> |
| Bruce Cockburn | Dancing In The Dragons Jaw [Deluxe Edition] | <p>After nearly a decade spent in relative obscurity outside of his native Canada, Bruce Cockburn finally made a dent in the U.S. market with the Top 40 hit "Wondering Where the Lions Are" from 1979's Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws. The album continues the jazz-inflected folk he had been pursuing on his past several releases, but with a heavier emphasis on the worldbeat rhythms that would play a larger part in his music in the years to come. This album is the gentler side of Bruce Cockburn, beautiful and searching, with his acoustic guitar once again at the forefront; his intricate, yet melodic patterns the perfect backdrop for his poetic ruminations on spirituality and nature. From the opener, "Creation Dream," his vision of the Earth's genesis, to the meditative "No Footprints," Cockburn is overcome by the wonderment of God's work. Even amid the "concrete vortex" and "people looking ill-at-ease," there's a sense of peace and overwhelming faith that runs throughout. Only "Incandescent Blue" (coincidentally the only song written outside of Canada) exhibits the kind of urban tension and consciousness that would become so evident in his work throughout the next decade; although he still finds a sort of respite in the chorus with its "white birds...[soaring] away free." Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws</p>— <strong>Brett Hartenbach</strong> |
| Bruce Cockburn | Dancing In The Dragons Jaw | <p>After nearly a decade spent in relative obscurity outside of his native Canada, Bruce Cockburn finally made a dent in the US market with the Top 40 hit "Wondering Where the Lions Are" from 1979's Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws. The album continues the jazz-inflected folk he had been pursuing on his past several releases, but with a heavier emphasis on the worldbeat rhythms that would play a larger part in his music in the years to come. This album is the gentler side of Bruce Cockburn, beautiful and searching, with his acoustic guitar once again at the forefront; his intricate, yet melodic patterns the perfect backdrop for his poetic ruminations on spirituality and nature. From the opener, "Creation Dream," his vision of the Earth's genesis to the meditative "No Footprints" Cockburn is overcome by the wonderment of God's work. Even amidst the "concrete vortex" and "people looking ill-at-ease," there's a sense of peace and overwhelming faith that runs throughout. Only "Incandescent Blue" (coincidentally the only song written outside of Canada) exhibits the kind of urban tension and consciousness that would become so evident in his work throughout the next decade; although he still finds a sort of respite in the chorus with its "white birds...[soaring] away free." Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws, though it can't match the sheer power of his next few releases, may be his most beautiful record, as well as an excellent culmination of his '70s work.</p><p>—<strong>Brett Hartenbach</strong></p> |
| Bruce Cockburn | Dancing In The Dragons Jaw | <p>After nearly a decade spent in relative obscurity outside of his native Canada, Bruce Cockburn finally made a dent in the US market with the Top 40 hit "Wondering Where the Lions Are" from 1979's Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws. The album continues the jazz-inflected folk he had been pursuing on his past several releases, but with a heavier emphasis on the worldbeat rhythms that would play a larger part in his music in the years to come. This album is the gentler side of Bruce Cockburn, beautiful and searching, with his acoustic guitar once again at the forefront; his intricate, yet melodic patterns the perfect backdrop for his poetic ruminations on spirituality and nature. From the opener, "Creation Dream," his vision of the Earth's genesis to the meditative "No Footprints" Cockburn is overcome by the wonderment of God's work. Even amidst the "concrete vortex" and "people looking ill-at-ease," there's a sense of peace and overwhelming faith that runs throughout. Only "Incandescent Blue" (coincidentally the only song written outside of Canada) exhibits the kind of urban tension and consciousness that would become so evident in his work throughout the next decade; although he still finds a sort of respite in the chorus with its "white birds...[soaring] away free." Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws, though it can't match the sheer power of his next few releases, may be his most beautiful record, as well as an excellent culmination of his '70s work.</p><p>—<strong>Brett Hartenbach</strong></p> |
| Bruce Cockburn | Humans | <p>Long regarded as Bruce Cockburn's finest moment on record, Humans, issued in 1980, is easily the most revealing of his tomes as well. This Rounder reissue is fully remastered and contains one bonus track, a live reading of the album's opener, "Grim Travellers." Cockburn's marriage had fallen apart, he'd moved from the country to a gritty inner-city section of Toronto called Cabbagetown, and he'd begun to explore in earnest the reggae rhythms that had underscored his hit single "Wondering Where the Lions Are" from Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws. The record of a restless travelogue that has become his stock in trade as a wandering observer, activist, and minstrel with deep wanderlust, Humans is the result of great turmoil and pain, and reveals Cockburn's musical, spiritual, and emotional worldview as all in flux. The record opens with the hard truth of global mercenaries in "Grim Travellers," a shimmering beauty of a song with a dubby bassline and jazzed-out Fender Rhodes piano. This is Cockburn's first issued song in his documentary style, complete with rich metaphorical images of horror and truth and the beauty on their nether sides. "Rumours of Glory" is straight-up reggae. It grooves and rocks steady, with a bubbling bassline punching up the front line. Lyrically the song offers a new kind of mystical attraction for Cockburn, one rooted in the crust of everyday life: "You see the extremes of what humans can be/In that distance/Some tensions are born/Energy surging, like a storm/You plunge your hand in/You draw it back, scorched/Beneath, it's shining like gold/But better...." A beautiful backing chorus that sounds like the I-Threes croons the tune to a close.</p><p>There is real darkness and anguish here, too. On "You Get Bigger as You Go," a relationship separates as the world comes apart in front of the protagonist's eyes as he looks out the window; acoustic guitars, violins, and tom-toms usher in the tough truth of a new day. The album's best travel song, "How I Spent My Fall Vacation," talks about the tensions of traveling in a beautiful but dangerous world; it's followed by "Tokyo," a darkly ironic account of a terrible accident witnessed by the protagonist while visiting. The album closes with a low-key manifesto in "The Rose Above the Sky." It's an affirmation of faith in the darkness, of waiting for God in the heart of loss and uncertainty. Graced by acoustic guitars fingerpicked softly and painted by keyboard washes, it grows in tension and texture, becoming an anthem by its end. Humans is universal in its confusion and hard-won willingness to endure without seeking creature comforts or easy answers. Its musical and lyrical adventure would be a watermark for any artist; for Cockburn it became the first step to musical and poetic freedom. It sounds as harrowing, beautiful, and ethereal 20-plus years later as it did when it was first issued, and offers a uniquely universal message for seekers of personal, social, and spiritual truth. This is the one to start with. It is also the one to end with.</p><p>—<strong>Thom Jurek</strong></p> |
| Bruce Cockburn | RCA College Series | |
| Bruce Cockburn | Inner City Front | <p>Inner City Front continues the urban toughness that moved to the forefront on Bruce Cockburn's previous release, Humans. Furthermore, like that record, there's an uneasiness that runs throughout, from the jazz-tinged opener, "You Pay Your Money and You Take Your Chance," to the disquieting "Loner," which closes the album. Even a love song like "Wanna Go Walking," one of the most straightforward rockers he's ever recorded, reflects the weight of the outside world. Only the jazzy instrumental "Radio Shoes" and the joyful "And We Dance" remain free of this underlying tension. Musically, moody synths, violin, and woodwinds on Inner City Front underscore the dark, reflective nature of the material, which like its predecessor, deals with the "paradox and contrast" in the human condition, from personal relationships to world affairs. Also, for the second consecutive recording, Cockburn eschews the folkier, acoustic leanings of his '70s work and places both feet squarely into the jazz and worldbeat rock that dominated the majority of Humans. One track, "The Strong One," is even given a slow, brooding, techno treatment. Since the release of In the Falling Dark, Cockburn was gaining creative momentum with each release, and Inner City Front continues that trend.</p><p>—<strong>Brett Hartenbach</strong></p> |
| Bruce Cockburn | Resume | <p>A compilation album, somewhat similar to the Mummy Dust compilation of Cockburn songs issued the same year by True North. Resume is a decent introduction to his late-'70s work, and also features the previously unreleased "Coldest Night of the Year" (included also on Mummy Dust). The song selection shows many of the sides of Cockburn the artist: the spiritual seeker ("Can I Go With You," "Lord of the Starfields"), the guitar virtuouso ("Water Into Wine"), the rock musician ("Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money in My Hand"), and the intimate live performer ("Dialogue With the Devil").</p><p>—<strong>Rob Caldwell</strong></p> |
| Bruce Cockburn | The Trouble With Normal | <p>Like his two previous efforts in the '80s, The Trouble With Normal places Bruce Cockburn yet another step further from his days as Canada's resident mystic folky. And while he had touched on similar musical themes on earlier recordings, the eclectic blend of folk, rock, and world music here is much more defined and realized. The use of synths, electric guitar, violin, and Chapman Stick, along with the occasional keyboard and drum sequences, complement the weighty, ominous nature of his lyrical concerns, which seem to paint a picture of a world, though teetering on the edge, still filled with beauty ("Hoop Dancer"), hope ("Put Our Hearts Together"), and contentment ("Waiting for the Moon to Show"). Amidst the "chaos" and "fashionable fascism," Cockburn's message, though cloaked in frustration and cynicism, and not nearly as overt as it has been in the past, is still one of faith and love. There is the tendency to get heavy-handed at times, but still, The Trouble With Normal contains some of Cockburn's most beautifully imagistic writing to date and is another strong effort. The U.S. release contains an alternate, yet inferior take of the title track, which makes the Canadian (True North) version preferable.</p><p>—<strong>Brett Hartenbach</strong></p> |
| Bruce Cockburn | Stealing Fire | <p>After visiting Central America, Bruce Cockburn recorded Stealing Fire, part of which passionately and eloquently details what he'd seen while in Nicaragua and Guatemala. With the opening track, the terse rocker "Lovers in a Dangerous Time," Cockburn conveys both a sense of urgency and uncertainty. There's a brief calm as the second half begins, before a triad of songs written about his time spent in Central America brings the record to a sober conclusion. These three tunes, which, like the majority of the album, sport a tight, worldbeat, folk and rock flavor, are the true highlights of Stealing Fire, and Cockburn at his very best. The first, "Nicaragua," is part observation, part commentary, and part tribute to the Sandinista-led revolution in that country. "If I Had a Rocket Launcher" follows, and is arguably Cockburn's most powerful merging of personal and political feelings. Written after witnessing Guatemalan refugees being chased across the border by gun-wielding helicopters, "Rocket Launcher" evokes not only the pain and suffering of the people, but the conflict between Cockburn's pacifist leanings, and the vengeful anger and hatred incited by such a horrific sight. The Nicaraguan, road-inspired "Dust and Diesel" closes the record with a portrait of a country whose daily contrast of beauty and violence is summed up by the images of people who are proud, hopeful, passionate, afraid, and tired. Stealing Fire, despite a few less than compelling tracks, is the work of an artist at his peak. It also contains some of the most intensely significant material by a singer/songwriter in the 1980s.</p><p>—<strong>Brett Hartenbach</strong></p> |
| Bruce Cockburn | Big Circumstance | <p>This was Cockburn's first release of new material in three years. It was a move away from the somewhat dated, overblown sound of his previous World of Wonders, toward a leaner, more guitar-dominated sound. Budgeting for album art seemed to be a little low, but luckily the collection of songs was of consistent high quality. As with most Cockburn albums, this is a mix of socially conscious, spiritual, and reflective songs. Cockburn had spent time in Nepal in 1987 and what he saw there found its way into some songs, including "Tibetan Side of Town" and "Understanding Nothing." Time spent in Germany soon after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in the Soviet Union inspired "Radium Rain," while deforestation of the globe inspired "If a Tree Falls," the first single from the album. Cockburn is equally at home writing about matters of the heart, though his lyrics take a much more unconventional turn in "Don't Feel Your Touch," with lines such as "the night grows sharp and hollow as a junkie's craving vein" and "the night grows clear and empty as a lake of acid rain." Elsewhere on the album, in "Gospel of Bondage" he takes pains to differentiate himself from right-wing Christianity and express his different view of the faith. Unusually for Cockburn, he ends the album on a slightly humorous (albeit dark humor) note with "Anything Can Happen," a look at the temporariness of life, where "anything can happen" at any time "to put out the light."</p><p>—<strong>Rob Caldwell</strong></p> |
| Bruce Cockburn | Live | <p>Recorded in Toronto in the summer of 1989, Live is a good collection of Bruce Cockburn's music, presented in a stripped-down setting. Fronting a tight three-piece unit, which sounds bigger thanks to Fergus Marsh's stick, Michael Sloski's eloquent drumming, and his own fingerstyle guitar work, Cockburn delivers a nice overview of his career, dating back as far as the record's opener, "Silver Wheels," from 1976. Amid his usual elements of spirituality and state-of-the-world messages, there's also a lightness and even a sense of humor that is rarely, if ever, seen in his studio work. His choice to close with "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" from the crucifixion scene in Monty Python's Life of Brian is both funny and inspired, while "Rumours of Glory," with its playful harmonica, gains a joyful bounce, and his lone Top 40 U.S. hit, "Wondering Where the Lions Are," becomes a crowd-pleasing singalong. Elsewhere Cockburn gives a new look to old tunes, whether it's solo performances of "After the Rain" and "Call It Democracy," the stark power of the bodhran, vocal rendition of "Stolen Land," or the more palatable, jumping blues treatment of "Maybe the Poet." Even though there are no songs, with the exception of "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," that are not available elsewhere, there's enough personality in these live versions to recommend the record on its own merit, and not just as a souvenir of a successful tour.</p><p>—<strong>Brett Hartenbach</strong></p> |
| Bruce Cockburn | Nothing But A Burning Light | <p>Nothing but a Burning Light, Bruce Cockburn's first release for Columbia, teams him with producer T-Bone Burnett, whose singer/songwriter background, and spiritual leanings, seemed to be a perfect match. Throughout, Burnett's production is understated, allowing Cockburn's voice, guitar, and songs to lead the way over a solid foundation of bass, drums, and tasteful organ by Booker T. Jones. This sort of sympathetic production brings out the best in Cockburn and his material, which is consistently strong. Songs such as "Kit Carson," "Mighty Trucks of Midnight," and "Indian Wars" continue the weightier concerns of his work of the past decade, but the majority of the record takes on a more personal, introspective tone. "One of the Best Ones" and "Great Big Love" are winning affirmations of love and life, while the retelling of the nativity, "Cry of a Tiny Babe," is as beautiful and moving a contemporary Christmas song as you're likely to hear. Cockburn also decides to include a rare cover, his excellent reading of the Blind Willie Johnson gospel-blues "Soul of a Man," which fits nicely in the whole of the album. Though it may lack the immediate power, Nothing but a Burning Light is Bruce Cockburn's best since his 1984 release Stealing Fire. Jackson Browne and Sam Phillips guest on backing vocals.</p><p>—<strong>Brett Hartenbach</strong></p> |
| Bruce Cockburn | Dart To The Heart | <p>Even more than its predecessor, the aptly titled Dart to the Heart eschews the heavier, more political tendencies that had become synonymous with Bruce Cockburn's music for more than a decade, returning to a more personal, introspective side. The opening track, "Listen for the Laugh," a horn-driven rocker that wouldn't have been out of place on many of his recordings during the '80s, and the almost joyful finality of "Tie Me at the Crossroads," bookend what is primarily more subdued material, including the tender second track, "All the Ways I Want You," which more suitably sets the tone for the album. And though it may not possess the intensity or power of his early-'80s output, Dart to the Heart comes with nearly a quarter century of experience behind it, bringing an insight, depth, and maturity to Cockburn's ventures into love and the mystic. Still, there's just enough outrage and frustration to keep things interesting. Musically, T-Bone Burnett's sympathetic production tastefully and engagingly frames the songs, placing Cockburn's vocal and characteristically superb guitar at center stage. Those who may have found his overtly political, worldbeat and jazz-inflected rock a bit strident in the past should find his approach here more inviting. And while he may have revisited this familiar ground from time to time throughout his career, Dart to the Heart is a convincing reminder of a gentler, more reflective Bruce Cockburn.</p><p>—<strong>Brett Hartenbach</strong></p> |
| Bruce Cockburn | Christmas | <p>A generous 15 tracks breathing new life into well-worn standards like "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" by focusing on their potential as good songs rather than distancing them on some solemn pedestal. When Cockburn sandwiches these between such non-conventional contributions as the gospel-bluegrass of "Early On One Christmas Morn," the Spanish "Riu Riu Riu," the French/world beat of "Les anges dans nos campagnes," the Huron Indian "Jesus Ahatonnia," and the ancient, spooky "Down In Yon Forest," the disc takes on a complex flavor that can be savored any time of the year.</p><p>—<strong>Roch Parisien</strong></p> |
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