Proper Records (label)
17 October 2011 (released)
17 October 2011
Canada’s Cowboy Junkies have been pretty prolific over the last few years, giving their fans numerous releases to consume and this is the third part of the four part Nomad Series. For Sing In My Meadow (which I presume is not a euphemism!) the band offer a very different sound to that which you might expect if, like me, you first encountered them on the wonderful The Caution Horses more than 20 years ago. Then it was the delicate and introspective blues, here the amps a turned up and all hell breaks loose!
The band’s Michael Timmins says the aim was to capture on record the sound they sometimes drift into live but seldom do on record. Therefore this is far grittier and, as they describe it, dirtier. In fact Margo Timmins is sounding wonderful, and it’s like she’s been let free like a kite on a hazy summer breeze, bringing echoes of Patti Smith through the fuzz of It’s Heavy Down Here and 3rd Crusade, with the backing band doing an excellent impression of Crazy Horse.
Just eight tracks long the album has no filler, and quickly carries you through blues and psychedelia, like Hunted with its soaring guitar and hectic beat and the dirty and mean sounding A Bride’s Price. The latter contains almost 4 minutes of fuzzy guitar, which could be called over-indulgent but it’s never stopped Neil Young has it?!
Although this was recorded in the Canadian winter there’s an impressive energy and Michael Timmins has explained that even after 25 years the band is feeling fresher then ever. They are certainly sounding it. The previous two collections in this phase have been well received and described by some as their best for almost 20 years; this easily matches that.
