SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: COWBOY JUNKIES – ALL THAT RECKONING

Cowboy Junkies
All That Reckoning
Latent Recordings

In their first new album since 2013, Cowboy Junkies’ latest release All That Reckoning is an entrancing piece of musical artistry.

The intoxicating vocals of Margo Timmins bring to life the mix of mind bending realities and powerful messages in the lyrics throughout the album. Written by the guitarist, Michael Timmins, the emotionally rich poetry is well matched with the mesmerizing ambiance of the harmonies.

The quiet brilliance of ‘The Things We Do To Each Other’ is a tune designed to wake up the listener, and that combined with the exceptional guitar and bass accompaniment, creates a flawless song. The subtle percussion, by drummer Alan Anton, assists in helping keep the album from becoming overly soft and unremarkable.

The slightly lackluster ‘Wooden Stairs’ is the only song on the album that doesn’t quite deliver, but since it’s followed up with the upbeat gritty rock stylings in ‘Sing Me A Song’, it’s barely noticeable.

The true standouts on the album are ‘Mountain Stream’, enchanting the listener with its melancholic beauty of vocals, lyrics and subtle melody, and ‘Shining Teeth’, that delivers a metaphorical piece of relatable lyricism and wistful guitar riffs.

With the finely calibrated bluesy riffs and gritty rock sound, All That Reckoning is a brave album from start to finish. The album has a nostalgic way about it, as if transporting the listener back to a time when albums were purposeful and passionate, and is well worth repeated play.

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