Album: Slice O Life / Artist: Bruce Cockburn / 2 CDs / 25 tracks
Singers
and musicians come and go, but good songs endure, which is why very good
songwriters who also record and perform their own music tend to have lifelong
careers, and in their fans’ eyes, or might we say ears, those artists’ stars
continue to shine as brightly in the twilight years of their careers as they
did in the beginning. Canadian singer / songwriter Bruce Cockburn released his
first solo album in 1970, and now he has come full circle. On March 31st,
True North Records will be releasing Cockburn's double CD Slice O Life,
consisting of a collection of songs that he performed in the spring of 2008,
during concerts in the northeastern United States and during a single gig in
Quebec (Canada). The twenty-five track booklet contains tunes from Cockburn’s
vast repertoire; including, the folksy, “Lovers In A Dangerous Time,” and his
top 25 Billboard hit song, “Wondering Where The Lions Are.”
Iconic blues musician Colin Linden acted as the producer for Slice O Life and did an excellent job of placing the listener in the middle of Cockburn’s concerts. As Cockburn strums his acoustic guitar and sings, “Wondering Where The Lions Are,” this recording captures Cockburn talking to his audience and the feel of his fans’ rapture as they join in singing the choruses back to him. Bruce Cockburn’s voice remains rich, deep and earthy, there is never a hint that his vocals have grown tired or weaker over the years, or that his passion for performing has waned. On a solid two CD set, “Wondering Where The Lions Are,” the fifth track from Side Two (the second disc) is definitely a highlight.
Cockburn used his 2008 spring tour as an opportunity to unveil a new song, “The City Is Hungry,” a reflective tune, which uses somber colors to paint cityscapes, as Cockburn’s quiet narrative allows us to view through his eyes, a homeless person and industrial pollution, while he raises questions concerning whether we are beautifying our cities or merely imprisoning the hills and rivers in concrete and steel.
The fifth track from side two is not a musical track, but is a dialogue, as Cockburn shares a humorous story or two and that is all we will say, so that we do not rob you of some good chuckles. Side One also has a story track, “Bearded Folk Singer Story.”
Bruce Cockburn has never shied away from using his music as a platform to promote his activist and ecological ideals, and Slice O Life is no different as he uses songs such as, “If A Tree Falls,” to question the destruction of rainforests, as well as North American woods, which Cockburn characterizes as mangy B.C. (British Columbia) hills. He caustically remarks in the opening dialogue that the destruction of these trees, some of which existed for hundreds of years, is being driven by greed. His graphic descriptions chronicle the loss of species and the effect on our environment. Whether you agree with his views or not you have to admire Cockburn for taking a stand, in a world that too often succumbs to political correctness.
“The End Of All Rivers,” from the first of the two CDs is a beautiful, stripped down, instrumental, featuring Cockburn using the body of his guitar to create some hand played percussion. The guitar chord progressions are more ethereal, but complex and the music ebbs and flows, between crescendos that are more spirited and a quieter, prettier pace.
One of the real treasures from Slice O Life, is the last track from Side One (disc one), “Soul Of A Man,” a bluesy, mid-tempo tune, with gravelly vocals. Those who enjoy Mississippi Delta vibes will find themselves often revisiting “Soul Of A Man.”
It is impossible to discuss all the songs from Slice O Life, but this is definitely an album that you will want to snap up, when it is released on March 31st, because Bruce Cockburn’s record is destined to become a collector’s item.
Three tracks from Slice O Life can be listened to here.
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Reviewed February 2009
