Cowboy Junkies – Sharon

As someone who loves, loves, loves the early Cowboy Junkies albums, I have to admit there came a point at which I just fell off. That usually happens – I get to a point with an artist where I just say, that’s enough. It’s not that their work isn’t as good, it’s just a question of how much of it I need. So from 1989 to about 2001, I bought everything they released, and then, I didn’t. But I stayed on their email list, followed them on social media, even downloaded some of their live concerts (they actually encourage that, or did, and many of their shows can be found on Archive.org). But how often do we really open our email?

But then I got an email promoting a “lost” Cowboy Junkies album, a follow-up to “The Trinity Session” that was recorded under similar circumstances just a short while later and which would be available only on vinyl – and I couldn’t pre-order fast enough. Had no idea when it would show up – lots of vinyl orders have been delayed this year – but then it suddenly arrived last week and it’s simply amazing.

Recorded very much like “The Trinity Session,” with the whole band live around a single microphone (which is simply not how it’s done these days), it’s really remarkable. It became a “lost” record for several reasons, including that the record company and somewhat the band didn’t want it seen as just a sequel to Trinity, and to trap the band into that single style of recording. Several of the songs did show up on “The Caution Horses,” which used traditional studio techniques but was not exactly overproduced or a real departure from their essential sound, so perhaps it was right to shelve this one at the time. But listening to it now: wow.

Way back when, I bought “The Trinity Session” on vinyl, even though I was collecting almost entirely CDs at that point. Now I have their second album on vinyl as well. I guess I categorize this as ’80s music, when it sounds like almost anything but.