One Soul Now
Margo Timmins is one of the more ponderous singers in all of rock. Her elegant, yearning vocals are still soothing listeners into a false sense of security as she downplays human disaster scenarios, trailer park homicides, and anxious couplings on the Cowboy Junkie's tenth studio album. But this time things sound a little more raucous; the Canadian band displays a bit more grit and primitivism, especially on a track like "Why This One," which strangely sounds like a rather sluggishPeachestrack, without the cursing. Beneath this band's graceful posturing lies a deep discontent and anger, but band lyricist Michael Timmins manages to once again turn that gentle simmering fury into poetic grandeur.--Jaan Uhelszki