Cowboy Junkies Albums (15)
'At the End of Paths Taken'
Release Date 4/9/2007
Tracks 11
Label Cooking Vinyl
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What The Critics Say
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, he's 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. He's 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. It's 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: it's like a renaissance. The emotion Margo infuses these lyrics with and the tautness of the musical performances are anything but lithe or lazy. They're hungry. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
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, 1988's The Trinity Session, was recorded live to digital tape using a single microphone during a single evening -- so it's not surprising that they've 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 they've also learned to invite the spirit so even songs they've been performing for close to 20 years don't 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 haven't 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 haven't 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 isn't 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. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
'Early 21st Century Blues'
Release Date 8/1/2005
Tracks 11
Label Cooking Vinyl
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What The Critics Say
It's 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 group's signature "sepia-drone" delivery to the world, a style that's 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," "Isn't 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 Lennon's "I Don't Want to Be a Soldier," featuring a rap by Kevin Bond (aka Rebel), is so out of place that it's almost refreshing, rounding out a collection of reliable late-night jams that will appeal to the choir, but not the whole church. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
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 1996's 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 country's most enduring and down-to-earth acts. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
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 1992's Black Eyed Man and 2001's 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," it's 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 that's 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. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr., All Music Guide
'In the Time Before Llamas'
Release Date 1/1/2003
Tracks 17
Label Strange Fruit
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Cowboy Junkies have a sound, a vibe. There's no denying it. You can tell it's 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 Anton's 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 "I'm So Open" doesn't bounce right along on a little groove. They've 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. ~ Kelly McCartney, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
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 band's 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 band's 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 band's hallmark songs are here -- "Misguided Angel," "Sweet Jane," and "Blue Guitar," to name a few -- but none of them take their listener's 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 album's 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 album's rich, often hypnotic sound flows with an ease and depth that will reassure longtime listeners even as it entrances new ones. ~ Rebecca Flint, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Working with producer John Leckie on Miles from Our Home has enlivened the Cowboy Junkies' trademark lackadaisical style somewhat. Replacing the group's calm, minimalist sound with a polished production, Leckie manages to make the record sound unlike anything else in the band's catalog. That's not to say that there's 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 aren't as magical as The Trinity Sessions, they're 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 aren't any misfires, either -- it's simply a solid album from a reliable band. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
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. ~ Jeff Crooke, All Music Guide
