It's 30 years since Canada's Cowboy Junkies created the template for alt-country on The Trinity Session, a hushed reimagining of rock and bluegrass standards and their own funereal songs.
Much has changed since but the band's faith in rootsy sounds is unwavering. Their first LP in six years finds the Junkies in meditative mode, revisiting their past and searching for connections in a callous, superficial world.
"I don't want to see your shining teeth/Show me your bruised and battered heart," sings Margo Timmins on Shining Teeth, a spare tale of anguish steeped in violent imagery.
There are tempestuous moments but the quartet soar when the lights are dimmed and ambience takes precedence over energy.
- Paul Mardles/Guardian News and Media
