Cowboy Junkies: All That Reckoning

Cowboy Junkies – All That Reckoning

Proper Records – 13 July 2018

A new album from the Cowboy Junkies is a special occasion, like sitting down to dinner with old friends. There are warm hugs as the guests arrive, a chance to get reacquainted, relax and catch up. As the night wears on, you might share a few dark secrets. With the right mix of spirits, the devil might even crash the party.

There’s a lot to talk about when it comes to the Cowboy Junkies, the Toronto band who’ve celebrated love and strangeness for over 30 years. “All That Reckoning” furthers their evolution, although sonically it’s not a huge departure from the band’s beloved signature vibe. That sound features Alan Anton’s bass-driven beat behind the stunningly aching vocals of Margo Timmins. There’s also that familiar slow build on these songs – they lumber along gracefully before Michael Timmins distorted guitar explodes over the melody. It’s all about atmosphere for the Cowboy Junkies.

Political and Personal

The album opener All That Reckoning Part I reflects on much of the turmoil in the world today. The song finds Junkies lead singer Margo Timmins in remarkably fine form. Her voice is as sultry and soulful as ever – better than ever, in fact. Seemingly about love lost and then re-discovered, the song has that dreamlike Cowboy Junkies feel, “I took my heart and lay it on the floor/You took my heart and softly asked for more,” sings Timmins mournfully.

A stormier version of the song returns as All That Reckoning Part II near the end of the album, complete with fuzz-filled distortion kicking it into high gear.

When We Arrive is a haunting ballad with lyrics that further reflect on the current state of the world.

Welcome to the age of dissolution/To the days of death and anger …
Everything unsure, everything unstable/Above all else keep your actions faithful.

The message is perhaps most ominous on The Things We Do to Each Other. “Fear is not so far from hate/So if you get the folks to fear/It only takes one small twist/To kick it up a gear.”

This is certainly the most overtly political album the band has released. Missing Children, an indictment against ineffective politicians, is a painfully good example.

“We only see them briefly, then its idle conversation… We only see them briefly, then reach to change the station,” sings Timmins. To be honest, the song is an indictment of the rest of us too. Perhaps a call to action? Dinner party conversion indeed.

Of course, the weaving together of politics and the personal is the sign of great songwriting and chief lyricist Michael Timmins shines brightly as always. Shining Teeth is a cry for authenticity… “I don’t want to see your shining teeth/Show me your bruised and battered heart.” And the album closer The Possessed, a charming little uke centred love song, reinforces this idea. The song is sung sweetly, with the devil showcased front and centre. “I found the devil disguised as air/Charged with electric current/I opened my mouth/He entered and said/You are mine.”

30 years out from their groundbreaking 1988 album, “The Trinity Sessions,” the Cowboy Junkies continue to evolve, with clever arrangements and new stories to tell. This timely release, full of darkness and relevance, will surely cement their status as a great band.