[rating=7.00]
Anyone who’s ever heard even a few notes culled from any Cowboy Junkies album released in the past 30 years will attest to the fact that they’re hardly the most upbeat bunch. With a sound that’s consistently downcast — if not downright despondent — they’ve managed to make their mark in the Americana ethos by maintaining a lowered gaze and a hushed, yet harmonious sound. Their music requires observers to lean in and listen, and even then, turning up the volume to ensure that they’re heard.
They maintain the same understated stance on All That Reckoning, the group’s first new effort in full five years. Those that might have thought they’d expand their amplitude will likely be disappointed to find them as dry and sobering as ever, but then again, what with the troubles and travails that have overtaken the world recently, who can blame them for digging that much deeper into their somnolent sound. The album starts off in their signature style — with the first take on the title track (another comes at the end), the ominous “When We Arrive” and the mellow, meandering “Shining Teeth” sticking to the Junkies’ restrained regimen, all whisper and reflection through fragility and finesse.
Fortunately, there is some uptick in energy as well, albeit in limited quantities. The rumble of “Sing Me a Song” adds a more tempestuous tone while the tumultuous undertow that anchors “Missing Children” provides a more forceful presence. It’s not a radical change — after all — atmosphere and ambiance generally make their way into the band’s music equation as a rule, but here at least it’s more harrowing than haunting and decidedly more visceral as well. Credit the Cowboy Junkies for at least trying anew tack, even though any real reckoning is still to be seen.
