Cowboy Junkies | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Canadas Cowboy Junkies create a music grounded in traditional country, blues, and folk, filled with languid guitars and ethereal vocals courtesy of Margo Timmins. Over the late 80s and 90s, the group recorded a succession of critically acclaimed albums -- in particular 1989s Trinity Session that peaked at 26 on the Top 200 due in large part to the success of its lead single, a cover of Lou Reeds "Sweet Jane." Their laid back sound found favor in the alternative rock community and became a popular focal point for the emerging Americana movement. In turn, the band used it popularity to celebrate revered songwriters such as Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, John Prine and Jimmie Dale Gilmore by taking them on tour. The groups run of Top 100 albums included 1990s The Caution Horses, 1992s Black-Eyed Man, 1996s Lay It Down, and 1998s Miles from Our Home. Though their recordings are infrequent in the 21st century, theyre considered events upon release. The Cowboy Junkies remain a successful international concert attraction. The Cowboy Junkies were founded by guitarist/songwriter Michael Timmins and bassist Alan Anton (born Alan Alizojvodic), who first played together in a Toronto-based band called the Hunger Project in 1979. They later moved to the U.K. and played with an avant-garde instrumental outfit called Germinal, but eventually grew weary of the groups style and returned to Toronto in 1984. They started jamming with Timmins brother Peter on drums, and in 1985 they recruited a vocalist in sister Margo, at the time a social worker whod never sung publicly before. Dubbing themselves the Cowboy Junkies simply because the name had a ring to it, they formed their own independent label, Latent, and released their debut album, Whites Off Earth Now!!, in 1986. Featuring only one original song, the album was recorded using only one microphone, and although it was initially available only in Canada, it helped them land a major-label deal with RCA. Their first widespread release was 1988s The Trinity Session, which was recorded inside Torontos Church of the Holy Trinity in the span of one night -- again using only one microphone. The Trinity Session became a cult hit, earning rave reviews from critics and substantial college radio airplay for tracks like "Misguided Angel" and their cover of "Sweet Jane." Now an underground sensation, the Cowboy Junkies decided to concentrate more on Michael Timmins original material for the bigger-budget follow-up, 1989s The Caution Horses. The album didnt cause quite as much of a stir, although it helped maintain their cult fan base. Released in 1992, the even more countrified Black Eyed Man found Timmins settling more comfortably into his songwriting voice, which set the stage for 1993s Pale Sun, Crescent Moon. Hailed as their finest effort since The Trinity Session, the record bore more influence from rock and blues, and returned the Junkies to critics darling status. However, it also proved to be their final album of new material for RCA. As the band left for Geffen, RCA issued the two-disc live compilation 200 More Miles and the best-of Studio. Meanwhile, the Junkies debuted for Geffen in 1996 with Lay It Down, a relatively high-volume effort compared to their shimmering early work. Following 1998s Miles from Our Home, the Cowboy Junkies parted ways with Geffen and revived their own Latent label. Their first release was the 2000 live album Waltz Across America, which was initially available only through the bands website. They followed it a year later with an album of all-new material, Open. One Soul Now followed in 2004. In 2005, the group released Early 21st Century Blues, a collection of covers -- and two originals -- that dealt with "war, violence, fear, greed, ignorance and loss." Recorded in just five days, it harked back to The Trinity Session. Later that year, the band was featured on the Beatles tribute album This Bird Has Flown, which was produced by Jim Sampas and featured various artists including the Donnas and Dar Williams. Meanwhile, the band was busy collaborating with visual artist Enrique Martinez Celaya on a commemorative art book. Released in 2006, Cowboy Junkies XX was a retrospective piece intended to celebrate the bands 20th anniversary. It featured original watercolors by Celaya, handwritten song lyrics, and photographs gathered from the bandmembers personal collections. The band released a new album called At the End of Paths Taken in the spring of 2007, followed several years later by the announcement of the so-called Nomad Series, an 18-month cycle that aimed to produce four albums built around common (but separate) narratives. Renmin Park: The Nomad Series, Vol. 1 was released in 2010. Following closely on its heels was 2011s Demons: The Nomad Series, Vol. 2, a covers album featuring songs originally written by the late Vic Chesnutt, the bands longtime friend and occasional tourmate. The third volume, Sing in My Meadow, released later in 2011, featured a live, garage rock sound, while the fourth, The Wilderness, which appeared early in 2012, featured new songs and completed the ambitious Nomad Series project. A box set featuring all four Nomad Series albums, plus a disc of extras, also followed in 2012. In 2013, the band presented a recording of Toronto poet Scott Garbes The Kennedy Suite, a song cycle centered on the 1963 assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. While only one song on the set is fully credited to the Cowboy Junkies proper, its various members participated throughout and Michael Timmins is listed as co-producer. In August of 2015, Timmins announced another box set. Notes Falling Slow included remastered versions of three albums recorded during the first decade of the 21st century -- Open, One Soul Now, and At the End of Paths Taken. It also featured a fourth disc of new recordings. Songs written for these three albums were left unfinished until this project was assembled. A video for the title track and "Cold Evening Wind" were pre-released that month, followed by a series of podcasts where Timmins discussed several songs. The box was issued at the end of October 2015. Three years later, Cowboy Junkies returned with All That Reckoning in July 2018, their first album of new material in six years. Michael Timmins explained in an interview that, "It’s a deeper and a more complete record than weve ever done before. Weve always tried to make records that are relevant to who we are as people.…These songs are about reckoning on a personal level and reckoning on a social (nee political) level." | ||
 | Album: 1 of 38 Title: Sharon Temple Sessions Released: Tracks: 9 Duration: 43:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Sun Comes Up (03:52) 2 Cheap Is How I Feel (04:15) 3 Escape Is So Simple (05:06) 4 Farewell to London Town (04:54) 5 Powder Finger (05:27) 6 Where Are You Tonight (05:04) 7 Mariners Song (06:16) 8 Thirty Summers (03:58) 9 Dead Flowers (04:57) |
 | Album: 2 of 38 Title: Whites Off Earth Now!! Released: 1986 Tracks: 9 Duration: 42:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Shining Moon (04:05) 2 State Trooper (04:30) 3 Me and the Devil (04:26) 4 Decoration Day (03:58) 5 Baby Please Don’t Go (05:04) 6 I’ll Never Get Out of These Blues Alive (06:30) 7 Take Me (02:27) 8 Forgive Me (05:28) 9 Crossroads (06:15) |
| Whites Off Earth Now!! : Allmusic album Review : Featuring only one original song, the Cowboy Junkies debut, Whites Off Earth Now!!, captures the band forming their own sound through covers, including songs by Robert Johnson and Bruce Springsteen. Its not as captivating as their later releases, but its fascinating to hear their signature country-on-valium sound develop. Margo Timmins sings beautifully. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 38 Title: The Trinity Session Released: 1988-11-15 Tracks: 12 Duration: 53:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Mining for Gold (01:31) 2 Misguided Angel (04:55) 3 Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis) (04:28) 4 I Don’t Get It (04:34) 5 I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (05:25) 6 To Love Is to Bury (05:16) 7 200 More Miles (05:29) 8 Dreaming My Dreams With You (04:31) 9 Working On a Building (03:49) 10 Sweet Jane (03:34) 11 Postcard Blues (03:22) 12 Walking After Midnight (06:00) |
| The Trinity Session : Allmusic album Review : Who says you cant make a great record in one day -- or night, as the case may be? The Trinity Session was recorded in one night using one microphone, a DAT recorder, and the wonderful acoustics of the Holy Trinity in Toronto. Interestingly, its the album that broke the Cowboy Junkies in the United States for their version of "Sweet Jane," which included the lost verse. Its far from the best cut here, though. There are other covers, such as Margo Timmins a cappella read of the traditional "Mining for Gold," a heroin-slow version of Hank Williams classic "Im So Lonesome I Could Cry," "Dreaming My Dreams With You" (canonized by Waylon Jennings), and a radical take of the Patsy Cline classic "Walkin After Midnight" that closes the disc. Those few who had heard the bands previous album, Whites Off Earth Now!!, were aware that, along with Low, the Cowboy Junkies were the only band at the time capable of playing slower than Neil Young and Crazy Horse -- and without the ear-threatening volume. The Timmins family -- Margo, guitarist and songwriter Michael, drummer Peter, and backing vocalist and guitarist John -- along with bassist Alan Anton and a few pals playing pedal steel, accordion, and harmonica, paced everything to crawl. That said, it works in that every song has its own texture, slowly and deliberately unfolding from blues and country and drones. An example is the Michael and Margo song "I Dont Get It," ushered in with a few drawling guitar lines, a spooky harmonica, and brushed drums. Margo Timmins doesnt have a large range and doesnt need it as she scratches each songs surface like an itch until it bleeds its truth. This is also true on "Misguided Angel," another original where the verses become nearly a round alternating between her voice and Michaels snaky spare guitar lines to fill an almost unimaginable space. The Williams tune becomes a dirge in the Cowboys hands. Its a funeral song, or an elegy for one who has dragged herself so far into the oblivion of isolation that there is no place left to go but home. Michaels guitar moves around the changes as bassist Anton plays them; he colors the space allowing for Margo to fill the melodic space spot-on, yet stretching each syllable out to the breaking point. For most, this was the Cowboy Junkies debut -- Whites Off Earth Now!! was re-released in the States a few years later -- and it established them firmly in the forefront of the "alternative" scene with radio and MTV. As an album, its still remarkable at how timeless it sounds, and its beauty is -- in stark contrast to its presentation -- voluminous and rich, perhaps even eternal. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 38 Title: The Caution Horses Released: 1990-02-20 Tracks: 10 Duration: 44:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Sun Comes Up, It’s Tuesday Morning (03:56) 2 ’Cause Cheap Is How I Feel (04:15) 3 Thirty Summers (04:15) 4 Mariner’s Song (06:18) 5 Powderfinger (05:47) 6 Rock and Bird (03:31) 7 Witches (02:44) 8 Where Are You Tonight? (05:05) 9 Escape Is So Simple (05:15) 10 You Will Be Loved Again (03:26) |
| The Caution Horses : Allmusic album Review : With the ethereal voice of Margo Timmins gleaning the lyrics "The phone rings, but I dont answer it/Good news always sleeps till noon" on the opener ("Sun Comes Up, Its Tuesday Morning), listeners rest assured -- the Junkies havent compromised their comfortable, country-twanged, folk-rock style to cater more to the trends of the masses. Mellow, honest, and provocatively reticent at points, their melancholic tone might seem bland to those with more aggressive tastes, or to simply more mainstream palettes, but for those whose tastes float serenely upstream, and for Junkies fans in general, this album is a treat. As usual, brother and lead guitarist Michael Timmins has created narratives that make poetry of everyday observations and anecdotes. Not as rocking as later releases, but offering more originals than earlier ones, this, their third full-length, brings back the mandolin and fiddle playing of Jeff Bird, the accordion stylings of Jaro Czerwinec, and pedal & lap steel guitar from Kim Deschamps -- all of which gracefully complemented the Trinity Sessions recordings. Their arrangements seem simply planned, and its the combination of such a consistently minimalist quality with Michael Timmins delicate songwriting that evokes ghost-story moods ("Witches") and sunset-beyond-the-porch-swing moments. Aside from the Neil Young cover "Powderfinger," The Caution Horses marks the Junkies gradual shift toward more original work, and stands as the calm before the more rocking, commercially successful storm of material that followed. Highlights include "Cause Cheap Is How I Feel," "Rock and Bird," and "Escape Is Simple." | ||
 | Album: 5 of 38 Title: Black Eyed Man Released: 1992-02-07 Tracks: 13 Duration: 46:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Southern Rain (04:50) 2 Oregon Hill (04:53) 3 This Street, That Man, This Life (03:13) 4 A Horse in the Country (03:52) 5 If You Were the Woman and I Was the Man (03:13) 6 Murder, Tonight, in the Trailer Park (04:33) 7 Black Eyed Man (03:15) 8 Winter’s Song (03:00) 9 The Last Spike (04:23) 10 Cowboy Junkies Lament (03:08) 11 Townes’ Blues (03:13) 12 To Live Is to Fly (04:30) 13 [untitled] (00:25) |
| Black Eyed Man : Allmusic album Review : The Cowboy Junkies Black-Eyed Man is an excellent return to form following their disappointing third LP, The Caution Horses. Where Michael Timmins songwriting was stilted and overly self-conscious on the previous record, here his character studies are literate and finely-etched; like Robbie Robertson before him, Timmins Canadian roots allow him to view the rural American experience with unique objectivity, and narratives like the opening "Southern Rain" and "Murder, Tonight, in the Trailer Park" are told with compassion and cinematic detail. Black-Eyed Man also broadens the Junkies musical horizons: "If You Were the Woman and I Was the Man," a duet with John Prine, is like a 50s-era love song intercepted from an alternate reality; while tracks like the lilting "A Horse in the Country" push the group closer to the folk-pop territory of 10,000 Maniacs. At the same time, their country roots are further reinforced by a pair of outstanding Townes Van Zandt covers, "Cowboy Junkies Lament" and "To Live Is to Fly"; sandwiched between them is Timmins own tribute, "Townes Blues." | ||
 | Album: 6 of 38 Title: Pale Sun, Crescent Moon Released: 1993-11-23 Tracks: 12 Duration: 47:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Crescent Moon (05:02) 2 First Recollection (04:16) 3 Ring on the Sill (04:22) 4 Anniversary Song (03:11) 5 White Sail (03:45) 6 Seven Years (04:54) 7 Pale Sun (03:39) 8 The Post (04:40) 9 Cold Tea Blues (02:47) 10 Hard to Explain (04:37) 11 Hunted (04:03) 12 Floorboard Blues (02:04) |
| Pale Sun, Crescent Moon : Allmusic album Review : A refreshed, revitalized sound that doesnt sacrifice the delicate touches that first made them unique; rugged, but still pristine. Much of the new spark emanates from the strings of honorary Junkie Ken Myhr, who peals out intense, biting lead guitar throughout. Especially prominent is his incendiary slide work on "Seven Years" and a spectacular cover of Dinosaur Jr.s "The Post." Still, its hard to imagine a ballad instrument more haunting and ethereal than Margo Timmins voice. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 38 Title: 200 More Miles: Live Performances 1985–1994 Released: 1995-09-29 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:50:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis) (06:45) 2 200 More Miles (06:04) 3 Me and the Devil (05:19) 4 State Trooper (04:10) 5 Sun Comes Up, Its Tuesday Morning (04:06) 6 Oregon Hill (04:57) 7 Where Are You Tonight? (05:23) 8 Spoken Introduction (02:35) 9 Cause Cheap Is How I Feel (04:04) 10 Floorboard Blues (04:23) 11 Murder, Tonight, in the Trailer Park (07:38) 1 Sweet Jane (03:52) 2 If You Were the Woman and I Was the Man (03:58) 3 Pale Sun (04:37) 4 Hunted (04:06) 5 Lost My Driving Wheel (06:35) 6 Forgive Me (07:16) 7 Misguided Angel (05:06) 8 Im So Lonesome I Could Cry (05:53) 9 Walking After Midnight (09:37) 10 Bad Boy (04:19) |
| 200 More Miles: Live Performances 1985–1994 : Allmusic album Review : Subtitled, "Live Performances 1985-1994" (though the earliest track comes from Halloween 1986), 200 More Miles, which concluded the Cowboy Junkies contract with RCA, was a 17-track compilation of concert recordings. Its five and a half cover songs spanned the groups influences: "Blue Moon Revisited (A Song for Elvis)" drew upon the Rodgers & Hart song (thats the half) as interpreted by the King of Rock n Roll; "Me and the Devil Blues" came from the King of the Delta Blues Singers, Robert Johnson; "Im So Lonesome I Could Cry" was by the King of Country Music, Hank Williams, "Walking After Midnight" by the Queen, Patsy Cline, and "State Trooper" and "Sweet Jane" came from a couple of Rocks Crown Princes, Bruce Springsteen and Lou Reed. Of course, this was for the most part downbeat material, and the Cowboy Junkies rendered it in their usual transfixing, if soporific style. They did the same on a set of Michael Timmins originals such as "Sun Comes Up, Its Tuesday Morning" and "Murder, Tonight, in the Trailer Park." (John Prine guests on "If You Were the Woman and I Was the Man.") "Before I do some rock & roll I always like to sit down," Margo Timmins noted at the outset, and she wasnt kidding. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 38 Title: Lay It Down Released: 1996-02-27 Tracks: 13 Duration: 51:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Something More Besides You (04:16) 2 A Common Disaster (03:22) 3 Lay It Down (04:23) 4 Hold On to Me (03:22) 5 Come Calling (His Song) (03:34) 6 Just Want to See (04:24) 7 Lonely Sinking Feeling (04:24) 8 Angel Mine (04:00) 9 Bea’s Song (River Song Trilogy, Part II) (03:35) 10 Musical Key (03:58) 11 Speaking Confidentially (04:28) 12 Come Calling (Her Song) (05:07) 13 Now I Know (02:19) |
| Lay It Down : Allmusic album Review : Released in 1996, this CD definitively answers a question that has occasionally plagued the Cowboy Junkies: yes, they sound good, but can they rock? Though still laden with the melancholia that has marked previous efforts, this CD is sonically dense, guitar-drenched, and good at high-volume levels. Margo Timmins voice has never been more expressive, and the lyrics shimmer with intensity. Although the band has occasionally touched on quiet moments reminiscent of fellow Canadian Neil Young, little they have done before this album approached the emotive wail of his louder efforts. The Cowboy Junkies have proven their versatility while retaining their unique sound. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 38 Title: Studio: Selected Studio Recordings 1986–1995 Released: 1996-11-12 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:00:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Shining Moon (04:05) 2 Misguided Angel (04:55) 3 Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis) (04:28) 4 Sweet Jane (03:34) 5 Sun Comes Up, It’s Tuesday Morning (03:56) 6 ’Cause Cheap Is How I Feel (04:15) 7 Powderfinger (05:47) 8 Southern Rain (04:50) 9 A Horse in the Country (03:52) 10 This Street, That Man, This Life (03:13) 11 Anniversary Song (03:11) 12 Ring on the Sill (04:22) 13 A Common Disaster (03:22) 14 Lost My Driving Wheel (06:26) |
| Studio: Selected Studio Recordings 1986–1995 : Allmusic album Review : Studio: Selected Studio Recordings is a fine compilation of highlights from the Cowboy Junkies albums, including such songs as "Sweet Jane" and "Misguided Angel," as well as the previously unreleased "Lost My Driving Wheel." While this is a thoughtfully compiled retrospective, The Trinity Sessions remains the definitive Cowboy Junkies album, although this isnt a bad way to collect much of the best material from their frequently uneven records. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 38 Title: Miles From Our Home Released: 1998-06-30 Tracks: 10 Duration: 48:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 New Dawn Coming (04:15) 2 Blue Guitar (06:11) 3 Miles From Our Home (04:37) 4 Good Friday (04:04) 5 Darkling Days (04:23) 6 Hollow as a Bone (03:28) 7 Someone Out There (03:02) 8 The Summer of Discontent (04:37) 9 No Birds Today (04:22) 10 Those Final Feet / [At the End of the Rainbow] (09:30) |
| Miles From Our Home : Allmusic album Review : Working with producer John Leckie on Miles from Our Home has enlivened the Cowboy Junkies trademark lackadaisical style somewhat. Replacing the groups calm, minimalist sound with a polished production, Leckie manages to make the record sound unlike anything else in the bands catalog. Thats not to say that theres no trace of the old style -- he has simply updated their sound, bringing it in line with adult alternative pop that they played a part in establishing in the late 80s. If the results arent as magical as The Trinity Sessions, theyre far from disappointing. Margo Timmins voice remains as enchanting as ever and her brother Michael Timmins songs are sturdy. There might not be any masterpieces on Miles from Our Home, but there arent any misfires, either -- its simply a solid album from a reliable band. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 38 Title: Rarities, B-Sides and Slow, Sad Waltzes Released: 1999-11-02 Tracks: 11 Duration: 47:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 I Saw Your Shoes (03:16) 2 Five Room Love Story (05:19) 3 Sad to See the Season Go (05:15) 4 If You Gotta Go, Go Now (03:07) 5 Loves Still There (03:32) 6 To Lay Me Down (05:17) 7 A Few Simple Words (03:39) 8 River Waltz (04:04) 9 Leaving Normal (03:59) 10 The Water Is Wide (05:15) 11 My Fathers House (04:23) |
| Rarities, B-Sides and Slow, Sad Waltzes : Allmusic album Review : Rarities, B-sides and Slow, Sad Waltzes offers exactly what the liner notes promise: a hodgepodge of songs that were written and recorded for various albums and projects but that somehow ended up on soundtracks, tribute albums, or simply on demos that never left their rehearsal room before this release. Echoing the driving tone of more recent albums, the opener, "I Saw Your Shoes," establishes an electric, fast-paced beginning to the album -- appropriate for a song about desire, but something of a non sequitur given the track that follows, "Five Room Love Story." A Junkies fan will likely be able to distinguish certain other tracks as if they were intended for specific albums. "Leaving Normal," for example (written as a theme song for a film by the same name, but never used), lyrically recalls Pale Sun Crescent Moons spoken-word "Floorboard Blues." "To Lay Me Down," a beautiful cover, compelling and moving in its stillness, was included on Deadicated: A Tribute to the Grateful Dead. The final, bonus (hidden) track, Bruce Springsteens "My Fathers House," offers listeners a peak into a rehearsal/soundcheck which turns into an a cappella, impromptu performance, capturing the bands characteristic sense of family and humor better than any of the other official tracks here. The album is, by definition, a brief jumble of contrasting periods in the bands evolution. As such, however, these "orphan" tracks are a treat to Junkies fans -- such a quantity of rarities and B-sides being put out during a bands active years, rather than posthumously, is a delightful rarity. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 38 Title: Waltz Across America Released: 2000 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:10:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Good Friday (05:23) 2 Southern Rain (06:02) 3 Beas Song (River Song Trilogy, Part II) (04:41) 4 Townes Blues (05:04) 5 Five Room Love Story (05:01) 6 I Saw Your Shoes (05:09) 7 Misguided Angel (04:53) 8 Sweet Jane (06:12) 9 Hunted (05:59) 10 Blue Guitar (11:09) 11 Hollow as a Bone (Revisited) (03:43) 12 Dark Hole Again (06:41) |
| Waltz Across America : Allmusic album Review : With a roster of songs that highlights some of their best-loved work, Waltz Across America has the feel of an intimate evening spent in private concert with Cowboy Junkies, a feat made possible by a combination of seamless production design, carefully chosen music, and singer Margo Timmins quiet, heartfelt rapport with her audience. The second release on the bands own Latent Recordings label, the album is a live compilation of 12 of the 60 songs played on the Junkies end-of-the-millennium tour of the U.S. and Canada. Thanks to the bands ability to put a fresh spin on time-honored favorites, Waltz is one of those rare albums equally well-suited to both first-time listeners and loyal fans. All of the bands hallmark songs are here -- "Misguided Angel," "Sweet Jane," and "Blue Guitar," to name a few -- but none of them take their listeners familiarity for granted: hearing them on Waltz is a bit like re-reading an old bedtime story and finding that the ending has been subtly changed. Perhaps one of the albums most gratifying surprises comes from the completely rewritten "Hollow As a Bone": Originally performed as an angry, hard-driving rock anthem, it plays here as a plaintive love song laced with wistful poignancy. Similarly, the 11-minute version of "Blue Guitar," the Junkies elegy to friend, inspiration, and fellow musician Townes Van Zandt, is a brooding work of haunting and unexpectedly taut beauty. All of the songs on Waltz illustrate the Junkies continued evolution as a band, and as a whole the albums rich, often hypnotic sound flows with an ease and depth that will reassure longtime listeners even as it entrances new ones. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 38 Title: Open Released: 2001 Tracks: 10 Duration: 49:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Did It All for You (05:07) 2 Dragging Hooks (River Song Trilogy, Part III) (07:49) 3 Bread and Wine (04:36) 4 Upon Still Waters (03:23) 5 Dark Hole Again (07:43) 6 Thousand Year Prayer (04:17) 7 I’m So Open (04:10) 8 Small Swift Birds (03:47) 9 Beneath the Gate (04:08) 10 Close My Eyes (04:20) |
| Open : Allmusic album Review : Cowboy Junkies have a sound, a vibe. Theres no denying it. You can tell its them within a few notes and each successive record seems to pick up right where the last one left off. Some, like The Trinity Sessions, are dark, moody, and mellow, like being coated in honey and draped in velvet. Others, take Pale Sun, Crescent Moon for example, seem downright energetic in comparison. Open is more in line with the first batch, though it has moments of near-enthusiastic revelry. With Alan Antons plump (rather than phat) basslines, Peter Timmins laid-back drumming, and Michael Timmins dirty guitars to ride on, Margo Timmins contributes her trademark sensual, yet understated vocal performances. The whole gang sounds as good as ever. And, although he may be called a songwriter, Michael Timmins is more a true poet with musical inclinations. Full of wonder and romance, fear and passion, Open is simply the next chapter in his sublime book of heartfelt verse. The compassionate tenderness of "Thousand Year Prayer" contrasts nicely with the harmonica and feedback duel of "Dragging Hooks." And darn if "Im So Open" doesnt bounce right along on a little groove. Theyve got it all here. If nothing else, this band is one of the most consistent around. Though album sales may not always reflect it, they continually deliver strong records that refuse to be faulted for anything other than being non-mainstream. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 38 Title: Best of Cowboy Junkies Released: 2001 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:11:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis) (04:28) 2 Sweet Jane (03:34) 3 Misguided Angel (04:55) 4 I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (05:25) 5 Rock and Bird (03:31) 6 Sun Comes Up, It’s Tuesday Morning (03:56) 7 Escape Is So Simple (05:15) 8 ’Cause Cheap Is How I Feel (04:15) 9 To Live Is to Fly (04:30) 10 Murder, Tonight, in the Trailer Park (04:33) 11 Southern Rain (04:50) 12 Cowboy Junkies Lament (03:08) 13 Anniversary Song (03:11) 14 Cold Tea Blues (02:47) 15 Ring on the Sill (04:22) 16 Hard to Explain (04:37) 17 A Horse in the Country (03:52) |
| Best of Cowboy Junkies : Allmusic album Review : Like so many of their 80s contemporaries, Cowboy Junkies have never quite broken into the mainstream, yet their music has seeped into movies, television, and alternative radio. Despite their lack of fame, they still made great music that persevered through trends and imitators, and the best of that music is found on this compilation. Their early covers of "Sweet Jane" and "Im So Lonesome I Could Cry" highlight the first third of the album, featuring Margo Timmons whispered vocals over the lazy shuffle pumped out by the rest of the band. The up-tempo country lament "Sun Comes Up, Its Tuesday Morning" and the cheery "To Live Is to Fly" show Timmons vocals shaping into a strong croon reminiscent of Natalie Merchant. Even their 90s work, which critics were never very kind to, still has strong representation with "Anniversary Song" and "Hard to Explain." Fans may wonder why no songs from any album past Pale Sun, Crescent Moon are included, as so many great songs -- from "Common Disaster" to "Dragging Hooks" -- could have rounded out the album. Although these albums may have been financial disappointments, they still could have included some of the stronger tracks. As it is, this is still a good retrospective of the strongest years of a band who made good albums long after the compilations cutoff date. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 38 Title: Open Road Released: 2002-02-01 Tracks: 10 Duration: 59:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Murder Tonight, In the Trailer Park (06:27) 2 Lay it Down (10:48) 3 This Street, That Man, This Life (03:42) 4 Thousand Year Prayer (04:24) 5 Bread and Wine (05:22) 6 Witches (03:33) 7 Something More Besides You (04:00) 8 Escape Is So Simple (04:09) 9 Dragging Hooks (12:00) 10 Anniversary Song (05:13) |
| Open Road : Allmusic album Review : Recorded during their 2001 tour in support of Open, Open Road is a four-hour celebration of all things Cowboy Junkies. Disc one includes solid renditions of Junkies classics like "Thousand Year Prayer," "Murder in the Trailer Park," and "Anniversary Song," as well as an epic take on the title track from 1996s guitar-heavy Lay It Down. The second disc features an hourlong documentary, a seven-song set from the Quebec City Summer Festival, a 30-minute performance by Margo and Michael Timmons benefiting the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children, and an in-depth interview with the siblings. Open Road is as dependable and unassuming as the band itself, and longtime fans will revel in this candid look into one of alternative countrys most enduring and down-to-earth acts. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 38 Title: The Radio One Sessions Released: 2002-07-29 Tracks: 12 Duration: 48:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Sun Comes Up Its Tuesday Morning (04:00) 2 Thirty Summers (04:03) 3 You Will Be Loved Again (03:08) 4 Cause Cheap Is How I Feel (04:20) 5 Powder Finger (05:21) 6 Black Eyed Man (03:14) 7 Last Spike (04:15) 8 Townes Blues (02:49) 9 Common Disaster (03:51) 10 Just Wanna See (04:24) 11 Lonely Sinking Feeling (04:43) 12 Lay It Down (04:28) |
 | Album: 17 of 38 Title: Platinum & Gold Collection Released: 2003 Tracks: 12 Duration: 53:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Sweet Jane (03:34) 2 Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis) (04:28) 3 Anniversary Song (03:11) 4 This Street, That Man, This Life (03:13) 5 Misguided Angel (04:55) 6 A Horse in the Country (03:52) 7 The Post (04:40) 8 Murder, Tonight, in the Trailer Park (04:33) 9 I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (05:25) 10 Seven Years (04:54) 11 Dreaming My Dreams With You (04:31) 12 Powderfinger (05:47) |
| Platinum & Gold Collection : Allmusic album Review : A slighter version of 2001s Best of Cowboy Junkies, this compilation draws from four of their RCA releases (ignoring their first album, Whites Off Earth Now!!, and the bands admirable late-90s and early-2000s catalog). Luckily, these earlier albums represent their strongest material, highlighting their lazy drifting melodies and Margo Timmins sweetly smoldering voice. The nearly silent cover of Neil Youngs "Powderfinger" is offset by the infectious joy of "Anniversary Song," while both are bound by the bands intimate shuffle and spacious production. While there are better Cowboy Junkies compilations out there, there is not a bad song on this album, making BMGs Platinum & Gold Collection a fine place for cautious investigators to begin. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 38 Title: In the Time Before Llamas Released: 2003 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:17:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 You Will Be Loved Again (03:39) 2 Thirty Summers (04:09) 3 Blue Moon Revisited (A Song for Elvis) (05:44) 4 Cause Cheap Is How I Feel (04:13) 5 Two Hundred More Miles (05:43) 6 Me and the Devil (05:12) 7 Whalers / Mariners Song (07:10) 8 Sun Comes Up Its Tuesday Morning (03:59) 9 Five Room Love Story (05:30) 10 Sweet Jane (03:34) 11 To Love Is to Bury (04:27) 12 Southern Rain (05:02) 13 Townes Blues (03:56) 14 If You Gotta Go, Go Now (02:52) 15 Black Eyed Man (03:16) 16 Murder, Tonight in the Trailer Park (05:07) 17 Hot Burrito No. 1 (04:17) |
 | Album: 19 of 38 Title: Best: Sweet Jane Released: 2004 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:14:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Sun Comes Up, Its Tuesday Morning (03:59) 2 Murder, Tonight, in the Trailer Park (04:33) 3 Southern Rain (04:52) 4 Hard to Explain (04:40) 5 Anniversary Song (03:11) 6 First Recollection (04:19) 7 Sweet Jane (03:34) 8 Im So Lonesome I Could Cry (05:28) 9 If You Were the Woman and I Was the Man (03:16) 10 Misguided Angel (04:55) 11 Shining Moon (04:08) 12 Cowboy Junkies Lament (03:10) 13 Blue Moon Revisited (04:31) 14 Baby Please Don’t Go (05:04) 15 ’Cause Cheap Is How I Feel (04:15) 16 The Post (04:41) 17 State Trooper (04:10) 18 Floorboard Blues (02:04) |
 | Album: 20 of 38 Title: One Soul Now Released: 2004-05-31 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:10:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 One Soul Now (04:54) 2 Why This One (03:47) 3 My Wild Child (03:52) 4 From Hunting Ground to City (04:41) 5 The Stars of Our Stars (04:19) 6 Notes Falling Slow (05:56) 7 No Long Journey Home (04:17) 8 He Will Call You Baby (05:47) 9 Simon Keeper (05:52) 10 The Slide (03:49) 1 Thunder Road (05:06) 2 Seventeen Seconds (04:49) 3 Lungs (03:14) 4 Darkness, Darkness (04:59) 5 Helpless (05:27) |
| One Soul Now : Allmusic album Review : While it seems more common in the 80s, 90s, and beyond for a good band to remain intact for ten-plus years, they all face the same challenge: how does one continue to keep the music fresh and remain relevant? The Cowboy Junkies faced an uphill battle from the get-go, always living in the shadow of The Trinity Session (1988), and moving from the mainstream (including major labels, radio play, and a gig on Saturday Night Live) to just under the radar. Despite these changes, the Junkies have still been able to make great albums, like 1992s Black Eyed Man and 2001s Open. Both of these albums also showed a band willing to delve into new sounds (country and classic rock, respectively) and come up winners. One Soul Now seems to pick up where Open left off, retaining the tougher sound highlighted by edgy guitar work and a more rhythmic pulse. The title cut opens with acoustic guitar before transforming into a sleepy rocker that manages to be seductive and sinister at the same time. Margo Timmins vocals are hypnotically lovely as usual, merging with bluesy guitar riffs and emerging above the morass as the chorus kicks in. Here, and on the following cut, "Why This One," its easy to believe that the Junkies are going to pull off another coup. The arrangements and production of both cuts seem to bring a perfect balance to these songs, and the execution is handled with confidence. On second listen, however, Michael Timmins songs tend to float more than move, and by the time the listener reaches the third cut, "My Wild Child," a familiar complaint against the Junkies emerges: the songs begin to fade into one another, more somnolent than hypnotic. Perhaps thats why a number of the later cuts choose different approaches by adding everything from organ to accordion to handclaps. Unfortunately, the guitar work on "Hunting Grounds" sounds like an outtake from "Dark Hole Again" on Open, while "Stars of Our Stars" seems cheerfully dissident from the surrounding material. Similar complaints can be made against the remainder of the album, with the Junkies veering between lethargic rockers like "Call You Baby" to atypically upbeat pieces like "No Long Journey Home." Longtime fans, wondering what the Cowboy Junkies have been up to for the last three years, will probably find several songs to like on One Soul Now. Newcomers will be much happier by picking up Open. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 38 Title: Early 21st Century Blues Released: 2005-08-01 Tracks: 11 Duration: 59:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 License to Kill (04:47) 2 Two Soldiers (04:02) 3 December Skies (05:18) 4 This World Dreams Of (05:08) 5 Brothers Under the Bridge (03:59) 6 You’re Missing (04:09) 7 Handouts in the Rain (08:26) 8 Isn’t It a Pity (05:51) 9 No More (05:01) 10 I Don’t Want to Be a Soldier (07:30) 11 One (05:11) |
| Early 21st Century Blues : Allmusic album Review : Its been over 15 years since the Cowboy Junkies dropped their sparse masterpiece The Trinity Session. Recorded with very little gear in the span of one evening, it introduced the groups signature "sepia-drone" delivery to the world, a style thats never really undergone any surgery. Early 21st Century Blues attempts to build a bridge between 1988 and 2005 with a new collection of standards, covers, and originals that employ that same minimalist approach and scant recording time -- five days this time around. Built around the themes of "war, violence, fear, greed, ignorance, and loss," the familial quartet, along with a handful of friends, presents the works of Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Richie Havens, and U2 as filtered through the half-time heartbeat that is the Cowboy Junkies trademark. Anyone even remotely familiar with the group can look at a song like "One," "Isnt It a Pity," or "Two Soldiers" on paper and hear the version come to life in his or her head. All of the intimacy, heavy guitar reverb, smoky vocals, and snares kissed by brushes that fans have come to expect are here, rolling in like a harmless summer rain dressed in the dark clouds of a storm. The only exception, an awkward hip-hop version of Lennons "I Dont Want to Be a Soldier," featuring a rap by Kevin Bond (aka Rebel), is so out of place that its almost refreshing, rounding out a collection of reliable late-night jams that will appeal to the choir, but not the whole church. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 38 Title: Long Journey Home Released: 2006-10-24 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:10:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 32-20 Blues (13:58) 2 Cause Cheap Is How I Feel (04:20) 3 Pale Sun (07:12) 4 He Will Call You Baby (06:34) 5 A Horse in the Country (04:06) 6 The Slide (03:31) 7 I Dont Get It (04:02) 8 Good Friday (05:04) 9 Helpless (06:11) 10 Misguided Angel (05:29) 11 Sweet Jane (10:14) |
| Long Journey Home : Allmusic album Review : The Cowboy Junkies have long understood that their music was served best on record when it was least adorned by the recording process -- their commercial and critical breakthrough, 1988s The Trinity Session, was recorded live to digital tape using a single microphone during a single evening -- so its not surprising that theyve made a handful of live albums, where the interaction between the musicians is presented in its most natural environment. Only 18 months after releasing Open Road, a CD and DVD package recorded during their 2001 tour, the Cowboy Junkies issued another live document, Long Journey Home, which captures in both sound and image an appearance in Liverpool, England, during the fall of 2004. At this point in their career, the Cowboy Junkies have become thoroughly comfortable on-stage, but theyve also learned to invite the spirit so even songs theyve been performing for close to 20 years dont sound rote. On Long Journey Home, guitarist Michael Timmins, accordion man Jaro Czerwinec, and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Bird frequently weave improvisational spaces in and out of their songs, while vocalist Margo Timmins uses mellow scatting and repeated phrases to allow her instrument to join in the action; they certainly havent turned into a jam band, but the Cowboy Junkies have learned how to use jamming to bring new life into their music, and their gift for playing off one another is quite impressive on these recordings. And though the slow tempos and dreamy atmosphere that have become the Cowboy Junkies trademark havent changed (thanks in part to the superb work of bassist Alan Anton and drummer Peter Timmins), the dynamics of their attack has certainly expanded. Margo Timmins once-timid murmur now boasts a power and a bluesy growl that serves their material well, and her brother Michael can bring the noise with his guitar without shattering the mood of the performances. The Cowboy Junkies continue to evolve, with each concert recording showing new areas of growth and change, and while Long Journey Home isnt radically different from their last live outings, this CD allows you to hear (and the accompanying DVD permits you to see) a band that takes chances and does something different each night, and devoted fans will be grateful for this opportunity to once again explore their alchemy in the comfort of their living rooms. | ||
 | Album: 23 of 38 Title: Trinity Revisited Released: 2007 Tracks: 12 Duration: 59:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Mining for Gold (01:36) 2 Misguided Angel (04:49) 3 Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis) (05:38) 4 I Don’t Get It (03:54) 5 I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (06:16) 6 To Love Is to Bury (03:32) 7 200 More Miles (05:18) 8 Dreaming My Dreams With You (03:53) 9 Working on a Building (06:38) 10 Sweet Jane (08:45) 11 Postcard Blues (03:36) 12 Walking After Midnight (05:21) |
| Trinity Revisited : Allmusic album Review : 1988s The Trinity Session was the album that established the Cowboy Junkies as a world-class band with a singular musical approach, but though theres little arguing that the musicians delivered the goods on the record, in many respects the album was a happy accident. Several of the guest musicians recruited for the project had never even met the Junkies prior to the recording session at Torontos Trinity Church, and given the approach taken by the group and producer Peter Moore -- one take, one stereo mic, no overdubs -- good luck seemingly had as much to do with the albums slow and graceful drift and understated power as any careful design. Its difficult, maybe impossible to make lightning strike in the same place twice, and the Cowboy Junkies decision to return to Trinity Church to record the same set of songs two decades later is a curious one, made all the more puzzling by the addition of several special guests -- in addition to the core lineup of Margo Timmins, Michael Timmins, Peter Timmins, and Alan Anton, the groups return to Trinity Church also features Ryan Adams, Vic Chesnutt, and Natalie Merchant, along with multi-instrumentalist Jeff Bird, who appeared on the original album. Its a testament to the Cowboy Junkies lasting strength that Trinity Revisited works surprisingly well; the performances and arrangements rarely stray far from the tone or intent of the original album, but they never sound rote, and the easy but troubling narcotic flow of this music remains as hypnotic as ever. The "guest stars" for this session are firmly integrated into the performances, serving much the same function as the additional players on the 1988 recordings, and Merchant and Chesnutt display an admirable respect for the songs and their fellow musicians, though Adams famous ego occasionally makes itself visible. And the songs hold up remarkably well, showing little wear after 20 years in the Cowboy Junkies repertoire and revealing new angles as Adams, Chesnutt, and especially Merchant bend them to their voices, though Margo Timmins hasnt lost a bit of her gentle authority or her hold on the music. Trinity Revisited sometimes suggests that the Cowboy Junkies decided to record a Cowboy Junkies tribute album, but even though this isnt a radical departure from the 1988 original, the group still plays these songs beautifully and the skill and wonder of the performances prevent this from seeming like pointless nostalgia. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 38 Title: At the End of Paths Taken Released: 2007-04-09 Tracks: 11 Duration: 49:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Brand New World (05:31) 2 Still Lost (04:45) 3 Cutting Board Blues (04:05) 4 Spiral Down (03:33) 5 My Little Basquiat (03:51) 6 Someday Soon (03:17) 7 Follower 2 (06:18) 8 It Doesn’t Really Matter Anyway (04:42) 9 Blue Eyed Saviour (02:37) 10 Mountain (07:07) 11 My Only Guarantee (03:29) |
| At the End of Paths Taken : Allmusic album Review : Michael Timmins, chief songwriter and producer/arranger of the Cowboy Junkies, has always written "relationship" songs, though not in the general sense of the word. Timmins has never been satisfied with easy answers. And in the languid, slow, cough syrup delivery of sister Margo to express them, and the band to underscore that performance, hes never had to settle. The music has always gone down gently, though the lyrics to these terse melodies have been complex, often ambivalent or riddled with seemingly paradoxical meanings. On At the End of Paths Taken, he brings his notion of relationship to its bravest and most unflinching examination yet: the family. Timmins has written a set of songs that reflect the complex, frustrating, edifying, and conflict-ridden web of relationships that constitute the family, from nuclear to extended to global. He is a parent, and a son with aging parents. He plays with his siblings in the Cowboy Junkies. Hes as much of an expert on the subject as, say, Robert Coles, though in a different way. He has also extended his musical reach here, with songwriting help from bassist Alan Anton on three tunes, and the lyric inspiration of poems by Philip Larkin, Seamus Heaney and novelist Joan Didion on others. There are also guest musicians who include a youth choir ("My Only Guarantee") and a string section arranged by Henry Kucharzyk, who also plays electric kalimba. Timmins has juxtaposed his gentle, turtle-paced brand of Canadian country music with some snarling guitars on "My Little Basquiat" and "Mountain." As if embodying the often embattled and contradictory nature of family itself, he also places a production focus on amplifying his acoustic guitar, which underscores each song as its center. As a result, the band, particularly Margo, follows him down the muddy rabbit hole and extend itself as well. In other words, this is not a typical -- and there is such a thing as a typical -- Cowboy Junkies recording. The difficult tension is in unpeeling the way human foibles such as greed, lust, conflict, power and anger influence and impact the family, and is reflected here with a poetic grace and gritty realism wrapped inside expressionistic musical portraits and a series of melodies and lyric lines that shift meaning as the album continues. Its an astonishing exercise, really. One in which Timmins clearly stands head and shoulders apart from most of his contemporaries who explore similar themes; Joseph Arthur comes most readily to mind. What At the End of Paths Taken means for the Cowboy Junkies: its like a renaissance. The emotion Margo infuses these lyrics with and the tautness of the musical performances are anything but lithe or lazy. Theyre hungry. | ||
 | Album: 25 of 38 Title: Cookie Crumbs, Volume 1: The Path Taken Tour (Spring/Summer 2007) Released: 2007-09 Tracks: 23 Duration: 2:19:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Cutting Board Blues (acoustic) (04:07) 2 Anniversary Song (04:44) 3 Spiral Down (03:51) 4 Rake (05:50) 5 Flying Shoes (04:17) 6 Marie (05:42) 7 Someday Soon (04:06) 8 To Love Is to Bury (04:03) 9 Still Lost (06:08) 10 Brothers Under the Bridge (04:37) 11 Bread and Wine (07:09) 12 Im So Lonesome I Could Cry (06:06) 13 Lay It Down (11:31) 14 Mountain (05:48) 15 Walking After Midnight (05:43) 16 Brand New World (06:11) 17 Carmelita (04:30) 18 My Little Basquiat (05:44) 19 Blue Moon Revisited (07:41) 20 Follower 2 (06:41) 21 Murder, Tonight, in the Trailer Park (06:21) 22 Blue Guitar (12:24) 23 Cutting Board Blues (electric) (06:19) |
 | Album: 26 of 38 Title: Neath Your Covers, Part 2 Released: 2008 Tracks: 26 Duration: 2:09:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Thunder Road (05:06) 2 Seventeen Seconds (04:49) 3 Lungs (03:14) 4 Darkness, Darkness (04:59) 5 Helpless (05:27) 6 Rake / Flying Shoes / Marie (12:55) 7 River (04:02) 8 Cortez the Killer (06:25) 9 The Way I Feel (04:14) 10 Let Me Call You Sweetheart (03:40) 11 Carmelita (03:47) 12 In the Long Run (04:54) 13 Heaven (03:55) 14 Love Is All (02:52) 15 Dead Flowers (05:00) 16 Dont Need You (05:33) 17 Captain Kidd (04:42) 18 Ooh Las Vegas (05:21) 19 Highway Kind (06:07) 20 To Lay Me Down (05:17) 21 Lost My Driving Wheel (06:26) 22 Run for Your Life (04:07) 23 No Expectation (04:17) 24 Dont Let It Bring You Down (04:07) 25 Love in Mind (03:43) 26 Once I Was (04:31) |
 | Album: 27 of 38 Title: Cookie Crumbs, Volume 2: Blowin’ and Driftin’ (Ontario March 2003) Released: 2008-01 Tracks: 31 Duration: 2:35:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Mining for Gold / Misguided Angel (07:19) 2 At the End of the Rainbow (03:28) 3 Leaving Normal (03:46) 4 Ikea Parking Lot (05:20) 5 He Will Call You Baby (05:17) 6 Tired Eyes (04:34) 7 White Sail (04:08) 8 Small Swift Birds (03:42) 9 Thousand Year Prayer (05:02) 10 Pale Sun (05:19) 11 December Skies (04:42) 12 Cold Evening Wind (06:52) 13 Witches (03:27) 14 Powderfinger (06:20) 15 Close My Eyes (04:09) 16 Hunted (05:33) 17 Cause Cheap Is How I Feel (04:53) 18 I Dont Get It (03:02) 19 Notes Falling Slow (05:27) 20 The Slide (04:13) 21 Come Calling (His Song) (03:28) 22 Me and the Devil (09:50) 23 Stars of Our Stars (05:51) 24 One Soul Now (04:14) 25 Townes Blues (03:34) 26 My Wild Child (04:03) 27 Miles From Our Home (04:30) 28 Why This One (04:16) 29 Lost My Driving Wheel (07:10) 30 3 Girls (A Smile to My Eyes) (04:19) 31 Helpless (06:56) |
 | Album: 28 of 38 Title: Cookie Crumbs, Volume 3: Waltz Across America Tour (October 2000) Released: 2008-03 Tracks: 24 Duration: 2:31:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 No Birds Today (04:29) 2 I Saw Your Shoes (04:36) 3 Where Are You Tonight (05:39) 4 Come Calling (His Song) (03:28) 5 Close My Eyes (04:33) 6 First Recollection (05:48) 7 Beas Song (06:33) 8 Small Swift Birds (04:14) 9 You Can Be Loved Too Much (04:32) 10 A Few Simple Words (04:27) 11 Dragging Hooks (08:45) 12 Misguided Angel (08:01) 13 Hollow as a Bone (04:30) 14 Im So Open (04:19) 15 Miles From Our Home (10:18) 16 Blue Guitar (16:17) 17 Powderfinger (06:16) 18 Hunted (05:53) 19 Southern Rain (05:45) 20 200 More Miles (06:36) 21 Crescent Moon (05:20) 22 Oregon Hill (05:09) 23 Blue Guitar (11:20) 24 Dead Flowers (05:00) |
 | Album: 29 of 38 Title: Acoustic Junk Released: 2009 Tracks: 11 Duration: 46:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 In My Time of Need (05:21) 2 He Will Call You Baby (04:40) 3 Those Final Feet (04:08) 4 Cold Evening Wind (04:49) 5 Cutting Board Blues (03:20) 6 Sun Comes Up Its Tuesday Morning (04:22) 7 To Love Is to Bury (03:38) 8 Tired Eyes (04:44) 9 Rake (03:35) 10 Spiral Down (03:38) 11 Horse in the Country (04:14) |
 | Album: 30 of 38 Title: Cookie Crumbs, Volume 4: In the Time Before Tapers Released: 2009 Tracks: 27 Duration: 2:39:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 State Trooper (07:38) 2 The Good and the Bad (04:51) 3 Anniversary Song (acoustic) (03:38) 4 First Recollection (acoustic) (05:15) 5 Murder, Tonight in the Trailer Park (acoustic) (05:09) 6 Blue Moon Revisited (06:34) 7 Darkling Days (04:33) 8 Just Want to See (06:36) 9 Sweet Jane (05:58) 10 Something More Besides You (04:24) 11 Im So Lonesome I Could Cry (06:51) 12 Ring on the Sill (acoustic) (03:53) 13 Working on a Building (14:13) 14 [Today Show story] / A Common Disaster (10:26) 15 Sun Comes Up, Its Tuesday Morning (04:03) 16 Blue Guitar (07:27) 17 Lost My Driving Wheel (07:34) 18 Hunted (05:27) 19 Beas Song (03:44) 20 No Birds Today (04:35) 21 Townes Blues (03:48) 22 Five Room Love Story (07:09) 23 Highway Kind (07:23) 24 River Waltz (04:24) 25 Miles From Our Home (04:56) 26 If You Gotta Go, Go Now (03:02) 27 Helpless (05:54) |
 | Album: 31 of 38 Title: The Nomad Series, Volume 1: Renmin Park Released: 2010-04-15 Tracks: 14 Duration: 50:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Intro (01:09) 2 Renmin Park (03:59) 3 Sir Francis Bacon at the Net (03:59) 4 Stranger Here (03:17) 5 A Few Bags of Grain (03:40) 6 I Cannot Sit Sadly by Your Side (04:59) 7 (Youve Got to Get) A Good Heart (04:27) 8 Cicadas (05:17) 9 Interlude (00:48) 10 My Fall (04:37) 11 Little Dark Heart (04:08) 12 A Walk in the Park (05:51) 13 Renmin Park (revisited) (03:16) 14 Coda (00:54) |
 | Album: 32 of 38 Title: The Nomad Series, Volume 2: Demons Released: 2010-12-13 Tracks: 11 Duration: 48:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Wrong Piano (04:35) 2 Flirted With You All My Life (03:50) 3 See You Around (05:56) 4 Betty Lonely (05:04) 5 Square Room (04:58) 6 Ladle (04:36) 7 Supernatural (03:38) 8 West of Rome (05:08) 9 Strange Language (02:55) 10 We Hovered With Short Wings (04:46) 11 When the Bottom Fell Out (02:53) |
 | Album: 33 of 38 Title: The Nomad Series, Volume 3: Sing in My Meadow Released: 2011-10-18 Tracks: 8 Duration: 40:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Continental Drift (05:06) 2 It’s Heavy Down Here (05:10) 3 3rd Crusade (04:14) 4 Late Night Radio (05:00) 5 Sing in My Meadow (04:29) 6 Hunted (04:29) 7 A Bride’s Price (05:52) 8 I Move On (06:02) |
 | Album: 34 of 38 Title: The Nomad Series, Volume 4: The Wilderness Released: 2012-03-27 Tracks: 10 Duration: 42:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Unanswered Letter (for JB) (05:21) 2 Idle Tales (04:06) 3 We Are the Selfish Ones (02:39) 4 Angels in the Wilderness (04:45) 5 Damaged From the Start (03:48) 6 Fairytale (04:23) 7 Staring Man (04:01) 8 The Confessions of Georgie E (06:00) 9 I Let Him In (04:13) 10 Fuck, I Hate the Cold (03:17) |
 | Album: 35 of 38 Title: The Nomad Series Box Set Released: 2012-04-17 Tracks: 53 Duration: 3:49:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Intro (01:09) 2 Renmin Park (03:59) 3 Sir Francis Bacon at the Net (03:59) 4 Stranger Here (03:17) 5 A Few Bags of Grain (03:40) 6 I Cannot Sit Sadly by Your Side (04:59) 7 (Youve Got to Get) A Good Heart (04:27) 8 Cicadas (05:17) 9 Interlude (00:48) 10 My Fall (04:37) 11 Little Dark Heart (04:08) 12 A Walk in the Park (05:51) 13 Renmin Park (revisited) (03:16) 14 Coda (00:54) 1 Wrong Piano (04:35) 2 Flirted With You All My Life (03:50) 3 See You Around (05:56) 4 Betty Lonely (05:04) 5 Square Room (04:58) 6 Ladle (04:36) 7 Supernatural (03:38) 8 West of Rome (05:08) 9 Strange Language (02:55) 10 We Hovered With Short Wings (04:46) 11 When the Bottom Fell Out (02:53) 1 Continental Drift (05:06) 2 It’s Heavy Down Here (05:10) 3 3rd Crusade (04:14) 4 Late Night Radio (05:00) 5 Sing in My Meadow (04:29) 6 Hunted (04:29) 7 A Bride’s Price (05:52) 8 I Move On (06:02) 1 Unanswered Letter (for JB) (05:21) 2 Idle Tales (04:06) 3 We Are the Selfish Ones (02:39) 4 Angels in the Wilderness (04:45) 5 Damaged From the Start (03:48) 6 Fairytale (04:23) 7 Staring Man (04:01) 8 The Confessions of Georgie E (06:00) 9 I Let Him In (04:13) 10 Fuck, I Hate the Cold (03:17) 1 My Boy Burns (04:47) 2 The Girl Behind The Man Behind The Gun (05:37) 3 Old Hotel (04:18) 4 Marathon (05:27) 5 Punching Holes Through (04:32) 6 Sad Peter Pan (03:51) 7 Demons (03:42) 8 Guilty By Association (03:27) 9 Forthright (07:12) 10 Stay Inside (04:51) |
 | Album: 36 of 38 Title: Live at the Belly Up Released: 2014-08-15 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:02:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Wrong Piano (04:37) 2 3rd Crusade (05:43) 3 We Are the Selfish Ones (03:25) 4 Late Night Radio (04:59) 5 Supernatural (03:40) 6 Notes Falling Slow (05:21) 7 Sun Comes Up, Its Tuesday Morning (03:54) 8 Hunted (04:39) 9 Sweet Jane (07:00) 10 Good Friday (05:16) 11 Misguided Angel (05:21) 12 Cause Cheap is How I Feel (04:28) 13 Dont Let It Bring You Down (04:26) |
 | Album: 37 of 38 Title: Notes Falling Slow Released: 2015-10-30 Tracks: 40 Duration: 3:01:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Did It All for You (05:07) 2 Dragging Hooks (River Song Trilogy, Part III) (07:49) 3 Bread and Wine (04:36) 4 Upon Still Waters (03:23) 5 Dark Hole Again (07:43) 6 Thousand Year Prayer (04:17) 7 I’m So Open (04:10) 8 Small Swift Birds (03:47) 9 Beneath the Gate (04:08) 10 Close My Eyes (04:20) 1 One Soul Now (04:54) 2 Why This One (03:47) 3 My Wild Child (03:52) 4 From Hunting Ground to City (04:41) 5 The Stars of Our Stars (04:19) 6 Notes Falling Slow (05:56) 7 No Long Journey Home (04:17) 8 He Will Call You Baby (05:47) 9 Simon Keeper (05:52) 10 The Slide (03:49) 1 Brand New World (05:31) 2 Still Lost (04:45) 3 Cutting Board Blues (04:05) 4 Spiral Down (03:33) 5 My Little Basquiat (03:51) 6 Someday Soon (03:17) 7 Follower 2 (06:18) 8 It Doesn’t Really Matter Anyway (04:42) 9 Blue Eyed Saviour (02:37) 10 Mountain (07:07) 11 My Only Guarantee (03:29) 1 Also One (03:51) 2 Shrike (02:53) 3 Morning Cried (05:11) 4 Cold Evening Wind (04:33) 5 So They Say (03:58) 6 Three Wishes (03:38) 7 The Slide (03:04) 8 Done Your Time (03:37) 9 Ikea Parking Lot (04:36) |
| Notes Falling Slow : Allmusic album Review : Here we go again. In 2012, Cowboy Junkies released The Nomad Series box set, which compiled the four records they released during an ambitious 18-month period. They also included a bonus fifth disc of tracks that didnt make the albums. Notes Falling Slow is similar in concept, but reaches further back into their Zoe catalog. Included here are remastered versions of 2001s Open, 2004s One Soul Now, and 2007s At the End of Paths Taken. These albums were cut during a key transitional period for the band, whose members were having children and discovering the meaning of settling down. Open offered the group at their psychedelic, bluesy best; One Soul Now picked up right where it left off. At the End of Paths Taken is the most unusual record on the Cowboy Junkies shelf. Its a song cycle about the relationships that constitute family, from nuclear to chosen to global. The fourth disc in this box is made up of tunes that didnt make these three albums. But this part of Notes Falling Slow is not a compilation of pre-recorded misfits. While these songs were written during sessions for the aforementioned records, some were not completed, others were not demoed, and finally, some were cut but ultimately rejected. No matter the origin, all nine of these selections have been newly recorded, amounting to a new (albeit relatively brief, at 35 minutes) Cowboy Junkies album. (A different version of "Shrike" made it onto an iTunes session; this one contains no bridge.) Opener "Also One" and "Morning Cried" are swirling psychedelic rockers that showcase the bands more aggressive side. According to Michael Timmins blog, written especially for this box, the sparse, devastating "Ikea Parking Lot" is the saddest song hes ever written (and thats saying something). "So They Say" is a lonesome country rocker, while this version of "The Slide" is an acoustic waltz with vocalist Margo Timmins delivering the lyric at her most tender, disillusioned, and vulnerable. The remastered versions of the catalog albums are more intuitive in their warmth and use of space. The unreleased material comes across as all of a piece in its sequencing. Given its very inexpensive price tag, Notes Falling Slow is an essential acquisition for fans. | ||
 | Album: 38 of 38 Title: All That Reckoning Released: 2018-07-13 Tracks: 11 Duration: 46:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 All That Reckoning (Part 1) (03:52) 2 When We Arrive (04:31) 3 The Things We Do to Each Other (03:57) 4 Wooden Stairs (04:22) 5 Sing Me a Song (04:21) 6 Mountain Stream (04:51) 7 Missing Children (03:40) 8 Shining Teeth (04:41) 9 Nose Before Ear (04:16) 10 All That Reckoning (Part 2) (04:30) 11 The Possessed (03:23) |
| All That Reckoning : Allmusic album Review : Its remarkable in itself that in 2018, the Cowboy Junkies still have the same lineup that recorded their debut album, Whites Off Earth Now!!, in 1986. But its even more surprising that more than three decades into their career, the bands essential formula remains very much the same, and whats more, that it still works. Released in 2018, All That Reckoning is less spare and severe than the groups most celebrated early material, with the occasional report of a jagged synthesizer or electric guitar, but even though the arrangements are more fleshed-out and the production more ambitious, the Cowboy Junkies continue to lay out languid, contemplative melodies favoring the low end of the register, with the rich but spectral vocals of Margo Timmins drizzled over the top like honey. Michael Timmins, the groups guitarist and principal songwriter, continues to favor minor-key tunes married to lyrics that deal with the less fortunate side of love ("Wooden Stairs" and the title track, which appears in two versions), the chaos of the larger world ("When We Arrive," "Sing Me a Song," "Missing Children"), and a variety of other products of a dark night of the soul ("Shining Teeth," "The Things We Do to Each Other," "The Possessed"). Michaels music remains both literate and evocative, even at its most abstract, and while hes certainly developed a trademark style (which he seems to point to in "Nose Before Ear": "Im going to start this song in a dark low whisper..."), nothing here seems rote, and the music sounds as darkly hypnotic as one could wish for. Michaels interplay with singer Margo, bassist Alan Anton, and drummer Peter Timmins is powerful yet graceful, all the more effective for their years of shared experience, and if the Cowboy Junkies ultimately offer up something rather simple, its more elegant than facile, which is part of why this bands work continues to communicate. All That Reckoning is a smart, compelling set of songs from a group that hasnt run out of things to say or the ability to say them with eloquence. | ||