Been on a Cowboy Junkies kick lately. Bought several of their cds at a local shop. Favorite is 'Pale Sun Crescent Moon'. Great songs and playing, gorgeous recording!
The movie is OK, but the soundtrack should interest CJ fans.
It features a group of sisters called the Staves, who do a tremendous cover of Springsteen's "I'm on Fire."
They movie closes with them performing a very lovely song, "So You Remember Me." (Interestingly, performed by somebody else on the soundtrack album, also very well.)
I have not been smitten by the Staves' own albums so far, but worth a listen.
Just joined audiogon now to comment on this... Cowboy Junkies are one my favourites - and Jeff Bird is amazing. I've seen them numerous times and they never fail to impress. If you have a chance to see them, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
They say in their newsletter that they've recently uploaded some of their harder to find recordings onto some streaming/download sites. Has anyone been able to find Waltz Across America? Its one their only CDs I don't have.
Very well put together, and I think better than some of their other recent efforts, but still on the spacier side of their range, which, as I've said is not my favorite part of what they do.
I guess the folkier stuff is "bouncy" in a way that is uplifting, even when the lyrics are sad -- as they usually are!
If you do like the spacier stuff, definitely check out, if you've not already, Mazzy Star's So Tonight That I May See, a "hypnofolk" classic of around CJ's vintage.
Favorite album is "Lay It Down". Some great tunes on that one. Favorite song is "Cause Cheap Is How I Feel" off "Caution Horses". Saw them live early on--really great show.
Been a Cowboy Junkies fan since the beginning. There is a certain sameness to their music but every time they re-enter my listening orbit I enjoy the heck out of them. Most of the bases have already been covered but here’s a couple more obscurities;
Margo’s Corner; Ty Tyrfu Sessions Vol. 1 (2009) digital only release. Margo solo. Nice cover of Springsteen’s “If I Should Fall Behind”.
Nomad Series; Volume 4; The Wilderness. Last track, “F’ I Hate The Cold”.
Totally agree with OP that Pale Sun, Crescent Moon is stunning. My favourite song on that album is “Sun’s up, it’s Tuesday morning.” It is a ballad that tells a story from a woman’s point of view. Also “Cheap is how I feel.” Canadians can feel that winter cold in the song. Margo’s voice is emollient and rich.
They are my all time favorite band. My wife and I’s 1st dance at our wedding was If I was the Woman and You Were the Man (and that was before it happened in the movie Natural Born Killers so my take is they were copying us). I caught them 2 nights in a row at the Birchmere just outside of DC in late January 2020. Had no idea that would be the last live music I’d see for 15 months. Great shows - both. Different sets and the love of making music was obvious as always. Don’t make me choose a favorite - they are all so good and unique. My wife just got me the special edition of their latest 2 albums All that Reckoning / Ghosts. High quality master/pressing - appreciate the quality. I spent a lot of time with Reckoning last year so concentrating on Ghosts now. As always the Cowboys deliver. Matt
Been a Junkies fan from the very beginning. Pretty sure between analog and digital, I have everything they’ve ever done including a bunch of rarities from their website.
Seen them live over 20 times. Had the pleasure of meeting all of them several times. Have autographs and few really cool items.
Had a HUGE crush on Margo. And oh boy, what a voice!!!
For me it's usually the Trinity Sessions or the later Trinity Revisited. Got to see them play the whole album live in Arlington, VA at The Birchmere. Got to meet Margo after.
Other songs I really like are Witches and You Will Be Loved Again, a cover of a Mary Margaret O'Hara song.
Wow, just going to pick out something to listen to and was trying to decide between Whites off Earth now (Shining Moon, State Trooper...) or Pale Sun...). I don't have Acoustic Junk, will have to track that one down.
I will be checking it all out. I've heard the Trinity Sessions and while it is sonically fantastic I thought the pace of the album overall a little slow for me. I will listen again.
Apparently, fuzztone is not a fan? Some strange peoplecomments on the forums for sure.
Lay it Down is one of my faves. It's mood inducing. I've been following them since I first heard the Trinity Sessions. It was love at first listen. Margo has a voice that can melt steel. I've been infatuated with her over the years. I saw them play in 2008 at Yoshi's in Oakland which is a very small venue. It was amazing.
It was the Trinity Sessions that put them on the map and is an "audiophile" favorite, for good reason. Recorded live to a single stereo mike in one long take in a church in Toronto. It is exceptional, except for the AC unit making all that nose sometimes!! I was lucky to see them do the whole album live from the table in the front center row at Toad’s Place in New Haven, CT way back when. As mentioned above, they do a sweet "Sweet Jane", which Lou Reed called the best version he had heard :)
I would also second "All That Reckoning", a lot more recent (and there is lots of good stuff between these two). It is great and rocks in a way that many of the others do not. I got to see them play this whole album at City Winery in NYC a few years ago as a five piece band with Jeff Bird on acoustic and feedback electric mandolin. Wish I had a tape of that show. Also got to talk with Margo after the show and say thanks for all the years of wonderful music that the CJs have filled my life with.
I'll give All that Reckoning a spin, richmon. Looks like my last purchase was At the Ends of Paths Taken, which didn't grab me. Funny to see the band age -- last show I was at, Margo said, "we know you all need to get home to your babysitters, so we'll do just one more." Sigh . . . .
So much to like! Other than the Dead, have seen and listened to CJ more than any other band.
I prefer the folkier stuff to the spacier stuff, so my faves are Black-Eyed Man and Caution Horses, though I really like the more spacey Miles From Our Home.
200 More Miles is nice live compilation, as is Waltz Across America.
I also really enjoy a sort of self-bootleg I picked up at one of their concerts, Acoustic Junk. Like a lot of their stuff, pretty well recorded, and I use it to demo gear.
Newer stuff, like The Nomad Series, have left me a bit cooler. (Exceptions like "Flirted with You All My Life" on the Vic Chesnutt tribute noted.)
Love Cowboy Junkies. I have seen them live with friends many times and they always deliver. One time after show ended I had to go up to the sound board guy at the Count Basie theater and let him know I appreciated what a great masterful job he did. There was a live in UK i think Liverpool show album that was superb. Cheers Johnny R
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