historical note: This was my first web page and was created before samples of albums were generally available on the web. It represented the first time fans could preview an album before it was released (although I was slow and my website appeared only hours before the release). Of course, out of respect for the band's work I put up only short samples. But, I also wanted bits from across the whole album for people who were interested in the whole thing, not just the 120 seconds worth of material that their label was promoting at the moment.  This page served its purpose, but it's now a bit dated.

I got an advance copy of the new album a couple of weeks ago, and I wanted to get out a review quicker, but I've been busy with a new job, new house, and an arm injury from a friend's mutant three-headed six-legged dog-monster. But, I've been enjoying the album for some time now, so hopefully I know it well enough to give a good review.

I wished I could have gotten my act together a bit better and written a better timelier review, but most of my Junkies albums that I'd use for reference are back at my old house (ready to play in the good stereo, of course!), and I've lost my driving wheel, so to speak...

This review consists of notes from the back of the promotional album, the song list, my general notes, and a song-by-song review (with samples!). I also have some junkie-related links.

A note on the samples: They are .wav files using the MPEG-3 codec, so they sound pretty good relative to the size. I'm not an expert on MPEG-3; all I know is the codec was included in my fairly recent version of windoze. For longer samples almost guaranteed to be compatible with your setup, Geffen makes a really neat CD...

• Miles From Our Home (Geffen Records) is Cowboy Junkies' seventh album. It finds the band unveiling a fuller, more layered sound (complete with piano, organ, harmonium, percussion and orchestral strings) and experimenting with tempo, texture and dynamics.
• The Junkies' previous work, Lay It Down (1996) featured the Top 20 Modern Rock hit "A Common Disaster" and earned the band a gold record. Remarked Musician of the disc: "Defiantly themselves, Margo Timmins and company continue to craft the eerily hushed folk-rock that sounds so right late at night and inspires goose bumps in the daytime... Connoisseurs of Timmins' gorgeous voice will be enthralled one more time. Brother Michael Timmins' catchy tunes spin an elaborate web of neurotic impulses, though he rarely forgets the simple desire sparking the action."
• Cowboy Junkies' first album was the self-released Whites Off Earth Now!! (1986). It was followed by The Trinity Session (the band's commercial breakthrough), Caution Horses (1990), Black Eyed Man (1992) and Pale Sun Crescent Moon (1993). The band has consistently received glowing reviews while amassing sales of more than four million records.
• Miles From Our Home was produced by John Leckle (The Verve, Radiohead, Kula Shaker, Stone Roses) and recorded in Toronto at McClear/Pathé Studios, Chemical Sound and Studio 306, and in Warkworth, Ontario, at Maiden's Mill. The album was mixed by Leckle at London's Abbey Road and by Chris Lord-Alge (No Doubt, Savage Garden, 10,000 Maniacs) at Hollywood's Image Recording.

  1. New Dawn Coming (4:13)
  2. Blue Guitar (6:09)
  3. Miles From Our Home (4:35)
  4. Good Friday (4:02)
  5. Darkling Days (4:21)
  6. Hollow As A Bone (3:27)
  7. Someone Out There (3:00)
  8. The Summer of Discontent (4:36)
  9. No Birds Today (4:20)
10. Those Final Feet (5:03)

I was fortunate enough to be among the audience for the Junkie's concert at the 9:30 club in Washington, DC on December 30th. That night, in addition to all their other great songs, they debuted three songs from this album, including Miles From Our Home. I saw them early in their Lay It Down tour at this same small club, and again when they returned to the area for an encore performance at the larger Wolftrap in Virginia. Seeing them once more in such a short time was exciting. Margo was amused and pleasantly surprised to be invited back, even though they aren't the most upbeat band to ring in the new year to.  I wish I could have stayed for the New Year's Eve show the next night, but I already had vacation plans, and 3 out of 4 times isn't bad.

I like this album a lot. It's more of a return to their older stuff, and I like it better than Lay It Down. It has the energy that I liked in songs such as Murder In the Trailer Park, Tonight, plus the classic darkness that I love.
 

1. New Dawn Coming (4:13)wav sample
"Hold on honey, there's a new dawn coming and a big bird to sweep you away... are you born yet?"
I've been a bass fanatic since the Junkies showed how well it can be used in Sweet Jane. Of course, this one moves a bit faster, but is still driven by bass. Margo's voice is slightly airier than usual (processed a bit I think), and the song is more pop than blues, well using the energy that the Junkies can bring to a song.  The song ends with an eerie "are you born yet?" echo.

2. Blue Guitar (6:09)wav sample
This slow song combines dark, slow lyrics, Michael's precise sharp picking, and strings. The result is similar to walking a dark city street alone at night, enveloped in a summer fog: there's a feeling of tension, of open space, and cool refreshing mist on my face as I spin under a streetlight.

3. Miles From Our Home (4:35)wav sample
This fast-paced title song has a new instrument (ok, ok, I flunked that part of third grade music class where you have to identify the instruments), and electric guitars. It has the same "careening" feeling that I love (and seem to find only in Junkie's songs), making this one of my favorites.

It seems to have a lot more energy than what I remember I heard in December, so maybe they've worked on it a bit. Then, again, it's been six months and my memory fails me. I know I was in an off mood that night because my girlfriend couldn't make it and I'd be on the other side of the country during my vacation that started just 5 hours after the concert... I guess it kind of fit my situation!

4. Good Friday (4:02)wav sample
A really nice, well rounded song. Moderately paced, hard to describe. Familiar Junkie instruments...

5. Darkling Days (4:21)wav sample
This is one of the "prettiest" songs that I've heard from the Junkies, and I don't use that term in a good way. Don't take me wrong... this is just an odd song. The I didn't like the delicate piano-ticking parts (I felt like I was in a cheap lounge-lizard-esque bar, when a cheap bar would be much more preferable), but I loved the rest of it. The overall effect is cool-- overly "pretty" music played to darker lyrics -- and similar to early 10,000 Maniacs songs (where they sang about embracing atom bombs). The whole piece has a nice continuity and flow... it's just that the piano rubs me wrong...

[I'll get the name of that 10,000 Maniacs song once I can drive back to my old home... that damn three-headed dog!]

6. Hollow As A Bone (3:27)wav sample
"If I lost you now, I'd feel as hollow as a bone..."  A romantic, fast-moving song with strong overlapping vocals. Good, again hard to describe.

7. Someone Out There (3:00)wav sample
A nice, slow song, but for some reason this reminds me of Air Supply. (I'm all out of love, etc..). In a good way. It's smooth and easy, takes its time, with pauses in just the right places. The layered vocals are an intricate duet of some sort... either Margo and someone else, or Margo and an synthesized alter-ego. We'll find out exactly what on the released album. Score two points for the band for referring to god as "that fucker up there"!

8. The Summer of Discontent (4:36)wav sample
This song is classic Junkies. Nice rhythms, nice flow to the music.

9. No Birds Today (4:20)wav sample
A darker, lonelier song, because as she says, "no birds today". Beautiful imagery in the lyrics. Again, classic Junkies.

10. Those Final Feet (5:03)wav sample
"You said never to grow old, but you forgot to tell me how..."

One of my favorite songs on the album. Nice piano, and this song best represents the constant tension that I love in Junkie songs. It also has the classic feelings of longing and remorse. Really nice piano, and (here I go again) an instrument (of some sort), I think an organ, has a cool solo near the end of the song that is sort of like the organ in the Saturday Night Live theme. A great song to end the album with....

10.5 (extra song) (3:50)  wav sample
But wait! There's more! They are so tricky! [post script- it is a separate song on the released album]

The last "hidden" track is also really good. One of their darkest songs, it's slow, bass-heavy, and feedback-laden. Margo's voice is masked in distortion, and the lyrics are dark... "Honey, I saw your daddy, lying by the roadside, his feet stick sticking out of a sack..."

You didn't really think that they would end with a happy song, did you?

Junkie Links: (these are a bit old)

The official website is at cowboyjunkies.com. Don't miss CJFan's site, who does a much better job at this than I do. The Sports Junkies, besides having a cool name, do a pretty good radio show that's fun even if you aren't in to sports.

The image of the Margo that I used on my home page was taken a couple of years ago when the group played at Wolftrap. Actually I was in the image, but after running back to the car to get my camera, somehow I didn't look as good as Margo. Such a sweetie-- when I got in line a second time (and there were only a few people left at that point), she didn't mind posing for one more picture.

And of course, you can see my home page.