The Trinity Session

Mining for Gold - 10/10. Stunning voice singing about the life of people from my home (Coal country). Perfection. Misguided Angel - 9/10. Beautifully simple. Blue Moon Revisited - 8/10. A very different take on the Rogers and Hart standard. Again, beautiful. I Don't Get It - 8/10. Very nice. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - 10/10. A voice like this covering Hank Williams is a choice. It's perfection. To Love is to Bury - 9/10. Hauntingly beautiful. 200 More Miles - 8/10. Very nice. Dreaming My Dreams With You - 7/10. Very pretty. Working on a Building - 8/10. Simple and clean. Sweet Jane - 8/10. A very nice Lou Reed cover. Postcard Blues - 9/10. Incredible. Walking After Midnight - 9/10. Love the intro. Again, a Patsy Cline cover is a choice, and her voice gives it an almost sultry feel, which is not a thing I knew I needed, but, apparently, I did. Overall Rating - 4.29/5 (8.58/10). How have I never heard of this group before? Not only are the arrangements stripped down to the minimal essentials, but the blend is perfection. This almost sounds like country music projected through a lens of David Lynch.

Gähnende Langeweile! Der pure Horror in der Auswahl ach so grandioser Alben geht weiter.

Mellow covers, a kind of whatever album to me. Dreamy, but felt like it lingered and went nowhere.

I'm just not that into Cowboy Junkies, but at least they're not Bob Dylan.

It was okay, nothing memorable, nothing offense. Light 3, or 5/10

Boring

Was unaware of this records story, and on paper, its directly in my wheelhouse. But, I found most of the tunes pretty sedated, which didn't work perfect, except for on the Velvet Underground tune, which always pairs well with opiates.

A caring one

ok album, felt like some of the songs were building to something but never quite got there. the cover of sweet jane caused me genuine pain, LEAVE THE VELVET UNDERGROUND ALONG!!

Very Interesting

Probably great live but found this one dull

Margo has a pleasant voice. This album is just "nice." It would benefit from any mood change.

Very beautiful record. Twin peaks minus synths. I love the recording quality. The human performances. Her voice is great. I’m sure Lana del Rey loves this. Surprised I’ve never heard before.

This one just didn’t do it.

Not what i expected but okay.

This record is special if you’re a Canadian of a particular age and with particular music tastes if that makes sense. It stood out as a low fi recording in 1988. It reminds me of the Canadian short stories we read in high school that tended to be about rural living that we groaned about but secretly enjoyed. This album was a harbinger that the winds of popular culture were about to shift. It’s the first version of Sweet Jane I ever heard, and for my money the only one I care to hear.

No lo escucharía de vuelta. Salvo por la versión alternativa de sweet Jane.

Beautiful alt-country, folk-tinged niceness. It was very much up my street, if a little overly earnest and lacking in grit to get into the really high marks. The vocals were superb though, and it was a lovely album to listen to while I was working. One to come back to on the regs.

I loved this. My favourite new discovery of this list at far. Just gorgeous.

I am a self-proclaimed not-a-country fan, but like Americana and folksy music… because I like to be contradictory or something, I guess. This is the soft kind of Americana/country I can get behind. Great for a soft evening.

Album for late, post-party nights with your crew while working at Yellowstone for the summer. Really beautiful

God damn this was dull

Es interesante, aunque no es mucho mi estilo, es de esos discos que necesitas estar en el mood correcto.

Nice relaxing listen. Nothing more, nothing less.

3.5

7/10… melancholy / melow country / *1990

Another one I don't understand the appeal of...

This was pleasant enough but I’m not sure I will want to come back to it. I like when the harmonica is used though. Whole lotta covers here too. Favorites were Misguided Angel and Sweet Jane.

Fantastic album recorded with stunning clarity.

Love it.

The hauntingly beautiful vocals and steel guitar were a major highlight of this album. The music was just masterfully slow and quiet and I found myself just really enjoying basking in the sound of it all. So simple, but just absolutely beautiful. I had never heard of this band before now, but I really loved this album. The covers I recognized, (I Go Out Walking, Sweet Jane) took on this surreal haunting nature that really blew me away. Five stars.

Still love this album. Slow everything down, slower than you'd think necessary. Add a languorous voice, dreamy, sexy, inviting. A great combination. It's not perfect but it is better than most everything else. 4 easy stars.

Drit

Wow this was bad. Droning, boring, and uninspired. A downer both musically and lyrically. I don’t use this term lightly, but the singer’s voice is actually offensive. I’m offended.

“Hey guys, we’re recoding in a church, make sure you sing and play as low as possible so that we get none of the great acoustic effects.”

Это лучшее кантри, что я слышала

Like "Twin Peaks" in audio form...

Going in, all I knew what an alt country band recorded in a church and included a Velvet Underground cover. This was enough to keep me intrigued. I wasn't quite prepared for how ethereal the experience would be. Sometimes simply just the right acoustics can make an album and that's certainly the case here. The music is sparse, minimalistic, and does exactly what it needs to make you feel it. The cover/sequel to Elvis's "Blue Moon" is a highlight for me, along with their mournful cover of "Sweet Jane". Beautiful album.

The vocals and arrangements are stunning. This is the type of discovery I was excited about when starting this list.

Jesus fucking Christ I just do not care about this music. It all sounds the same, slow and boring. And all the themes are always the same, can you please get some new material or at least approach it from a new perspective.

This wasn't hideous; in actuality, it was quite listenable, although rather one-paced, one-note and a bit dreary. I was anticipating some yodelling bonky bonk racket, but this is more "atmospheric" country - the sonic equivalent of a gentle stroll at dusk, with some western instrumentation sprinkled in. The issue is that variety is very much at a premium here, so it quickly disappeared into the periphery.

Chill un peu vibe cowboy déprimée dans sa campagne

J’ai écouté ça pour courir, c’est passé hein… pas de plus value

Sympa mais un peu boring

I don't know what I expected from the cover but it wasn't what I got. What I got was a smooth soulful album with beautiful singing and playing. It was a joy listening through from start to finish. It reminds me of some of Fleetwood Macs ballads with how soothing they are. Great experience and really fun discovering a band completely new to me

Yup they freaked that

This is an album that hasn’t left my rotation since it was released. Hard to believe it’s been almost 40 years! I just love that smooth vibe. Close your eyes and you are someplace dark, warm and dreamy. Hot tip: if you get the chance to see them play live, run don’t walk. I saw them live for the first time about 5-10 years ago and despite being very familiar with their albums I was BLOWN AWAY by their musicality.

I Don’t Get It, but this album had me Walking After Midnight Mining for Gold.

This has some excellent haunting vocals and the band sounds really good. The church recording seems to have elevated everything, each instrument just seems to pop just a little bit more, not to mention the foot taps on Postcard Blues. It’s definitely a slow burn, an album deserving of a bit of patience. The Sweet Jane cover was really well done too. This was a cool discovery today, accompanied the dreary weather nicely. 4 stars

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would when the album first started

They’re ok. I feel this isn’t the album though. But it’s a good representation of Canadian songwriting. Better than Neil young. Not up there with Gordon lightfoot

if you ever wondered what's wonderful exemplar of warmth. Lyricism, angelic, soothing, singing, that's timeless and doesn't age. This is truly an album to cherish and listen to through proper speakers or headphones it was recorded in the Trinity Church somewhere important which created the wonderful resonance and what is particularly beautiful about this album is it's still being performed by the original band members, and the Angelic singer as they're currently touring 2025 and 2026, I highly recommend going to see them.. I'm gushing, So what this music moves me, and the performance felt like I was in the presence of a divine Angel

A thing of beauty. A great idea perfectly conceived. It was record du jour for a considerable period, but it has lived on past its in the moment coolness. Her voice, the playing, the songs, all wonderful. A great choice for this list.

In my share house days in the early 90s, it was common after a big night out for a small posse of die-hards, stragglers and ne'er-do-wells to convene in our lounge room for a late-night chill-out. We were pretty rock crowd, leaning towards alternative, industrial and goth, but The Trinity Sessions album was a favourite for the wee small hours while we came down from the effects of the evening. This record is spacious and gentle, wonderfully and sympathetically underplayed, and Margot Timmins voice is beautiful. I love the simple and honest recording. No notes, five stars.

This was too chilled. Maybe needed some weed to enjoy this 😂

It was OK

the lead singer has a nice voice

Review - not a terrible album, and interesting how it was recorded, but the good tracks aren't good enough and there are a few duds. Second album I've had that was recorded in an Anglican church though. That's weird. Catholics needs to raise their game. Rating - 4/10 Need to hear? NO

Wow! Amazing folky music. Super tranquil i love it!

a mesma música em loop por 53min to fora

I've seen this labeled as Slowcore, more like Snorecore. It is cool that this was recorded around one microphone in a historic church, gives it a nice reverb sound. For me overall it is too country and too slow. Other than Blue Moon it didn't get interesting until the last 4 songs when they got a bit more bluesy sounding. Felt like they had some influence from Mazzy Star throughout the album but especially when Sweet Jane started. Think they both came out around the same time and used that California psych revival sound template.

Boring.

Meh. Although, to be honest, "Meh" uses more letters than this album deserves. It's just terribly, seriously dull. But it's dull done well, so it deserves more than 1 star.

This was quite good. Similar to Patti Smiths Horses, this album has a definite PJ Harvey vibe to it. Really great

Really nice and mellow album with a great sound (bearing in mind this was all recorded live on a microphone or two in an old church.

Kind of boring as hell, but absolutely perfect for the right scenario. It's quiet and super reserved, but I have to admit that I pretty thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. Solid album to put on while mopping at 9:30pm. Fave tracks: - Blue Moon Revisited (Song For Elvis) - I Don't Get It - To Love Is To Bury - Dreaming My Dreams With You - Working On A Building - Postcard Blues - Walking After Midnight

I found this very dull, and very bland. Awful cover of Sweet Jane. Nothing much going on with this at all. Going with a 2 rather than a 1 as my interest was lost so quickly, it failed to annoy me and dwindled into background music. Resulting in it being in the “ok for what it is” category.

Pleasant, feels innovative for 1988. No complaints.

didn't really do anything for me. i dont know why, i can sometimes get down with some slow and sleepy shit, but this album didn't feel very inspired. maybe just the day i was having. favorite song was Sweet Jane

Rating: 7/10 This is honestly my type of shit. An album that's definitely on the early side of this kinda sound that I really enjoy, the folky and dreamy country that you really need to be in a type of mood and setting to properly enjoy. And you need to really like the slow, melancholic stuff. The biggest issue with the album for me is the slightly long runtime and its lack of total standouts, it's more of a good experience throughout. Reminds me a lot of bands I like who would follow this up, like Low.

Very much one of the sleepiest albums ever without much going on for me to have opinions on 3.9/10

Dreamy! Great sweet Jane cover too

twin peaks background music with a country undertone. emphasis on BACKGROUND music.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I don't think I knew of this band at all, and I am Canadian and love 'CanCon'. I really love the laid back bluesy, folky sound. I can see why some may call this too slow, or boring, but I dig it. Her voice is haunting and suits this kind of music. Really liked that Sweet Jane cover

From the cover I expected some crappy hip-hop. I got very sleepy country, way better.

This album has a nice atmospheric vibe that is somehow better than the band

I'm not sure I've heard much of anything from Cowboy Junkies, although I know I *have* heard their excellent cover of "Sweet Jane" before. It's impressive how quickly and successfully they managed to record the album in Toronto's rightfully popular Church of the Holy Trinity (several of the tracks even in one take), and they get a great acoustic/live sound well. My favorites on the album are probably "Blue moon revisited", their cover of "I'm so lonesome I could cry" and "To love is to bury". Overall, a bit *too* laid back for my tastes, I must admit, but Margo Timmins has a great voice, and they chose a great set of session musicians to help round out their sound.

Lovely haunting sound but after about 25 minutes you start wishing they'd break out of their too-cozy lane. When will one of them crack and bust a move? Never, apparently.

Hyvin chilliä kantria, jos tätä kantriks ees voi sanoa. Aika jazzahtavaa, jazz kantria? Kesäillan kappaleita. Blue Moon oli cover tutusta kappaleesta. Parhaat: Blue Moon Revisited (Song For Elvis), Dreaming My Dreams With You

I was hoping for a bit more from this album. It has all the right pieces for me, it just doesn’t come together

душевно. плачу.

Enjoyed some tracks

Джордж сраный ковбой

A bit slow in places but I enjoyed how chill it is

A bit boring.

I feel like most of the lifeforce and energy in my body has been sucked out by this album. I don't actively dislike it, but I don't see a reason for me to listen to this again

Liked this a lot, blues, folky, but doesn't sound old

Yeehaw

Blue Moon Revisited greatest cover of all time?

So mellow

Wow this was a pleasant surprise. Really really good. Totally not what I expected going into it, especially with that name.

Not horrible but very slow and boring. Maybe ok for background music.

Weird and dreamy and lovely, but in a kind of creepy way. Like a good dream on the verge of turning bad.

1.5

pretty, but very slow. not something i necessarily see myself revisiting; 2 stars

Smooth jazz. Nice voice

Not bad, but I need a higher tempo right now.

I came to the Cowboy Junkies on The Caution Horses — an album that is the better representation of the band's own capabilities and constraints which is something I appreciate (and that prevents, say, Blue Moon). But having said that, when you gather talented folks in the Church of the Holy Trinity to perform originals and covers alike in front of a single mic, well, it can be something special. Margo Timmins's voice breaks my heart wide open whenever she wants and there is plenty of that on this recording. Easily sits next to Springsteen's Nebraska for a two album listening session also which is a vibe I go in for despite all the reasons I shouldn't.

I've never really understood the appeal of this record. I suspect you have to be in a certain kind of mood to really appreciate it although I can't for the life of me imagine what kind of mood that would be. Certainly not one I've ever experienced, or would wish to experience. I'll give it one star as I know it's influenced a lot of artists I love, and another because it reminded me I haven't listened to Mazzy Star for ages.

If I was more knowledgeable I would know if all these songs are covers, I'm not and I assume most are, some I do know and as such these are interesting versions. The down-beat country vibe and the slightly haunting vocals make for a pleasant listen but I struggle to be set on fire by it. Perhaps it depends on when you hear it? It often makes a big difference. I will return another time but for now...

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Wilco A Little Deeper Ms. Dynamite

So good

Very soft, slow, and mellow country-folk that is surprisingly listenable. However, it's also too old-fashioned to connect emotionally and too unexciting for anything else.

Listened to this while playing Kinfire Delve. I lost. I was immediately mesmerized with this album. The opening a capella track perfectly set the mood for what was to follow. I was completely unfamiliar with this group before, but definitely enjoyed the whole album. Solid.

Lovely sound, lovely voice

Just dynamic enough to keep me engaged, just cohesive enough to thematically fit. If I was drinking and smoking spliffs alone in my apartment in the late 90's, listening to this record on my home stereo when it came out, I’d probably dig it even more. Definitely good to give this one a relisten. The covers mostly serve well, yet unfortunately the rendition of "Sweet Jane" is rather unforgettable. Very good overall.

Super cool. Could be a 4

this was pretty boring

In the 1990's/2000's there was a genre of music that was rooted in country that has blues and folk influences. Somehow this kind of music landed firmly into the "alternative music" scene. Personally, I blame the show Austin City Limits for bringing this music into the spotlight. Its soft and comforting, blending fiddles, steel guitar and mandolin with pop sensibilities. The Cowboy Junkies are a firm result of this phase and do it with quality and care.

норм, но не в моем вкусе..

Eh

I’d have loved to hear the a&e man selling this “do you know what music needs to be sadder- country” and that’s what we get. Country ballads dripping in melancholy and stripped back to sparse jazz influenced arrangements. Fortunately Margo Timmons voice fills the space with its warmth and sweetness.

Ok album, nostalgic from my HS days

Loved this from the jump. A bit of Khruangbin, a bit of Loretta Lynn, a bit of Neil Young. Just wonderful support for the written themes by the mournful music. INSANE that this wasn't mixed, it sounds incredible. Listened to: at Denargo. Favorite Tracks: Mining for Gold, Blue Moon Revisited, Sweet Jane

Sleepy-core

A nice surprise. Slow but beautiful and a little bit haunting with the right amount of country twang and a gorgeous Beth Gibbons esque voice. The Elvis tribute is fucking awesome.

Kind of slow and boring. Sounds like the music for an indie film. The covers were okay. 2/5 Won't listen again

Love the guitar work, the tone and mood, the great vocalist. This band is so good they make Lou Reed better.

not to my taste very much. the vocals here by margo timmins are absolutely gorgeous to listen to, but that's kinda it for me. this whole thing is SLOW. i like a lot of slow music, so maybe i was just not quite in the mood for it here, though everything was all is in service of the vocals which mean there was little elsewhere to look. her voice is pretty angelic, don't get me wrong, so i can definitely see the appeal. just on the whole this wasn't doing much for me. it all kinda blurred together into background noise.

Beautifully sung, and the highlights are so pretty its hard to understate. Its slow, sometimes too much so for an album listening experience, but it doesn't outshine the beauty of it all to me. Misguided Angel sounds incredible, the backing vocals work so well. The instruments play quite understated, accenting the singing most of the time, but I think they're playing perfectly for their role. Blue Moon to me will always be a song I intrinsically tie to Fallout in my head, but the cover or... Reinterpretation? Here works so well and really comes into its own. The reverb and acoustics here also stand out excellently. I think if I sat and just listened to this straight through in one go I would have found it far too slow to enjoy by the end, but listening to it in a couple of songs at a time it really is an incredible album I'm amazed I've never heard of before. I was going back and forth between a 4 and a 5, but after taking a break and coming back to it I reaaaaally enjoy this album so... Three 5's in a row wow.

Very enjoyable album. Liked the covers and originals from this alt band from college days.

Very chill and somewhat low key

They sound really good and I like the overall vibe but it is kinda boring. If it was a rainy day or I was feeling melancholy/contemplative this might be getting a 4 but it's a bright sunny day so I'm not.

had no idea what to expect & this was a very pleasant surprise. super mellow, relaxing vibe. not sure if I would seek it out again, but would be totally fine if this was background music too. 3.5 stars & will see if round up or down (this was another weak round of music)

Found this incredibly dull.

What a year. What a voice. I forgot how much I liked 1987 and the Cowboy Junkies.

Going to listen again, think it might grow on me.

This is a band I’ve never heard of before, which is weird being that they’re Canadian, but alas. It’s a pretty record, the vocals are haunting and beautiful, and instrumentally it’s tight and very well played. The production is pretty standard for the era, nothing mindblowing, but good. The covers on this album are all done pretty well, definitely a band taking songs and making them their own style, anyways. I’m not crazy about any of the original songs though. I did find myself becoming quite bored throughout, this album would probably make decent background music in a restaurant, but otherwise it’s really lacking in hooks or anything to catch and hold my attention. 2.5*

I’ve definitely listened to this album before and I was waiting for the song to come on that would remind me why or in what context but that never happened. In any case it’s a nice album and the singer has a nice voice. Their covers are pleasant. It’s enjoyable but certainly not groundbreaking.

The first two songs I loved, and was prepared to be blown away and then I was left pretty disappointed by the rest of the album. I like country rock, and the vocals were intriguing.

I would have sworn this band was Irish (not Canadian) after the opening notes. Pretty haunting stuff, and overall despite having heard this band's name before this is not what I'd have expected them to sound like for some reason. A pleasing enough listen, not enough that really knocked my socks off here.

One of the slower CJ albums but I like the mood

Have you ever heard of quiet, introspective blues? That’s what Cowboy Junkies do in this album. Beyond their famous VU cover, this work brings a lovely atmosphere. The voice is so inviting and - my gosh- the guitar tone. Intimate

Perfectly nice

Oh, these sweet melodies and strumming were a salve to my broken nervous system today. I’d like to return to this. I especially liked the cover of “Sweet Jane.”

Simply beautiful, and i generally hate country music. The depth, darkness and emotion brings to mind Portishead with some of the tracks. Great singer, great musicians snd a matching production certainly did it for me

Love this

Neočekivano dobar album, gospodja stvarno lijepo peva 4,75/5

not for me sorry

nice vibe but don’t really see myself coming back

Not a fan of the lugubrious vibe but everything else was good.

Cowboy Junkies are kind of an acquired but I love love Margo Timmins. I have spent more time with "Caution Horses" but this is a nice record

my parents used to play this when I was growing up. just as beautiful as I remember.

This kind of thing paved the way for the alt country and Americana boom in the 90s, along with unplugged on MTV. A family based group with a moody melancholia - I find it dreary but great numbers didn’t. Some original treatments of famous tracks as well.

Was bored

It was, just, slow.

Those covers!

Great sound, at least 20% too slow. 3.5 stars but there’s no option for that

Effortless cool. Knew the name, but not the vibes! Melted my frozen heart.

A nice, melodic listen...but kinda got old after the first half.

swoon

I happen to really like The Cowboy Junkies and I am hooked on their version of Sweet Jane, Album, however is a bit too mellow but still worth a listen to from time to time.

Folk, Country, 1988 -> 3

sounds like the david lynch country music

bad.

I was like the name of this album + the name of this band + late 90s and I was preparing for some weird grunge post punk pop stuff but actually this is crooning Canadian folk...which I don't hate but it's very same-y and not exciting so 3 stars

I thought I would hate this. I don't. It's sad, quiet, slow, and pretty ethereal. The sound is warm, organic, and somehow emotive and sometimes gives you chills. It feels like a movie soundtrack. The way it brings out blues into folk is cinematic and does not usually give me the ick like this genre does- I think it;s the fact it is slow and the vocal quality

A Canadian entry! 🇨🇦 The pace of this album was really slow and not really my style, but could be an album to put on at a coffee shop and would be an easy listen.

It's good. Like the whole tone and feel, ambiance almost, is consistently moody and mood-setting, like film-esque. Would probably also work really well as some make-out music for the right person and place. It's overall not something I'd return to, but respect it for sure.

I grew up a huge fan of the movie Natural Born Killers, and the song Sweet Jane is featured in movie. So I’ve been a huge fan of that hauntingly beautiful song for a long time. But I never looked into them at all after that until today. There was a ton of other songs on this album that met that level of quality that Sweet Jane does. But as a whole the album was kind of a bummer for me. Like I’m pretty sure this album as a whole will be super forgettable cause it’s just too slow for me. Obviously they know what they are doing, their songs are so haunting and moving, but I can’t connect with most of the slow songs outside of the tracks like “200 More Miles”, “Working on a building”, and “Walking after midnight”. But the song that really stood out to me (other than Sweet Jane obviously) was their “cover” of one of my favorite Elvis Presley songs “Blue Moon” (which isn’t really an Elvis song but I always really liked his version of it). But they do so much with that song they add so much without tarnishing the original, it’s genuinely one of my all time favorite covers now cause it feels like it’s more than a cover, it’s a real love letter to Elvis’s music. And being a biased Elvis fan, I’m obviously won over by that. Hope to see more of them on this list in the future.

Pretty and easy to listen to. I’d put this on in the background while drinking coffee in the morning. I don’t really remember most of it but it was good

Surprisingly great

Hard to review. Quite sleepy, technically good, got a few tracks added to my liked songs. Doesn't seem remarkable but very listenable

I don’t love the singing in this as it initially reminds me of a better version of Jan from the office, and it is throwing me off. Other than this, the album is genuinely perfect. Some of the tracks sound really hymnal which works really well with the bluesy rock theme, the covers are beautiful, sweet Jane in particular and the originals are just as good. The use of the pedal steel guitar you can hear throughout, for example on I’m so lonesome, gives the album a real old school country feel without being boring. It is seriously impressive in that the entire album was recorded in one day and the final tracks weren’t mixed or edited at all afterwards, the way they’ve managed to make raw recordings sound so perfect and polished is amazing.

A very slow and quiet album. Beautiful but I am ready to take a nap now.

This was not good

Always found this a bit overrated despite being recorded around the block from my house at the time. I’m a fan of the Junkies but not a super fan. Ultimately they outed themselves as a one trick pony imo

2 out of 5. I'm more interested in how this album was recorded than the music itself.

Now what do we have her. We are minors 💯. This is interesting. Alternative country huh? Lotta Canadians in this life represent. This is sad wait. Does it pick up I don't wanna be morose at the Oilers game. This doesn't really give me very country vibes but I guess I'm used to more pop country than anything. I like this. Typa thing playing from the jukebox as I'm drowning my sorrows in a run down country bar. What happened to these guys holy moly. Nothing to smile about in my life. This reminds me a little of Mitski actually. I really like the strings. I'm a sucker for strings on an album tbh. This is haunting I really like it. This is more folk than country to me tbh. I really like it. I love her crooning. Favourite: To Love Is To Bury Least favourite: Mining For Gold

As with a lot of things recently, lovely background music with some nice harmonica moments, nothing to write home about but nice enough, 3.5* up to 4!

# Album Name: Cowboy Junkies # Artist: Cowboy Junkies # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Not bad. But very slow and sombre. Bit too long # Top Tunes: Blue moon / Jane / my dreams with you # Would I listen to it again? Some of it

Unrelentingly gorgeous, murderously patient, proudly Canadian! It's unfortunate that some of the songs could pass for background music, because this is deep, dark and well- considered. Also unfortunate that the most popular track isn't nearly the best. There was more variety in these sombre arrangements than I remembered. This time around I especially delighted in the accordion and harmonica bits and even enjoyed the pedal steel although I find it overwhelms the other instruments. The vocals are stunning - like so many of my favorite singers, she embraces her limitations and doubles down on what she does best. Finally I should mention that more bands could and should make better albums by hiring songwriters or performing covers. This is a perfect example - the originals shine brighter surrounded by transformative covers.

Slower than I expected.... reminded me of old folk/country music, oddly enough ,with a modern sensibility. I liked it, but it generally isn't for me.

This is pretty, but nothing really stood out for me. I wasn’t expecting smooth and sultry female vocals over a sleepy band

Nice morning music

So glad I found this group! Will listen again.

Cowboy Junkies were part of the soundtrack of my 20’s, so I have a soft spot for this album. Mix of great original music (“Misguided Angel”) and great covers (“Sweet Jane”)

Alright, kinda depressing nice instruments though

Definitely top 10 albums of all time 11

I really loved this album, an immediate send for me. Definitely one of the better slow albums and I think it will for sure be in my sad rotation

Absolutely not my type of music

It's fine. Nothing spectacular.

Just a slow, plodding, boring experience. The main singer had a nice voice, but that's pretty much it. Not worth your time or mine.

This álbum is not bad, but maybe as background music. Too soft most of the time although some parts of some songs are okay. I wouldn't want to go back to listen more by this artist. 2,75/5.

So calm and kind of lazy, i almost fall asleep, but a nice change for those cozy calm days

Country music for a late night smokey night club. Gentle, lyrical, lullaby-esqyes

margo timmins has a beautiful voice and the production and sound quality is very good and warm, but it's a little too far into what i usually call "weepy music" for my tastes. weepiness isn't necessarily about tempo or volume, it's more about this just being more sad and mellow and understated than i would like. for all of the covers here, i can think of versions i prefer that have either higher energy, thicker instrumentation, or more varied registers and sounds. this is a pretty good album, but it's offering something I don't particularly want

Too slow for me and it's also a bunch of covers. 2.5/5. Raising to a 3.

I love this album. Margo’s ethereal voice is intoxicating and impossible not to fall for. That said, it’s a record that asks for the right mood and setting, dim lights, soft couch and decent stereo and it's heavenly.

Love that cover of Sweet Jane! This is a really wonderful record: haunting, doleful vocals and sparse arrangements. Just a lovely album.

I really liked her voice. The cover of Sweet Jane might be better then the original. A good album for a grey Monday.

A very good album. The voice is incredible, and the sparse arrangements make it very nice to listen to (if in the right mood.)

soothing

a melhor forma de definir é: diferente??? não é ruim mas é mto mais devagar do que eu tava esperando inclusive tem uma pegadinha de slowcore em umas, o que eu n achei ruim mas no geral achei chato xD

BANDAS QUE TOCARIAM NO ROADHOUSE EM TWIN PEAKS!!!!! mas é, não eh ruim não. blue moon revisited eu achei bem massa, na real. só é mei chatim e monótono. mas PÔ pra pegar uma estradinha estadunidense a noite deve ser PICA (dormiria no volante e bateria o carro)

I don't hate it but I feel like I can only listen to it once in a while so I don't hate it.

Another reason to shit on the US: country music.

Beautifully sang songs which fail to be interesting, but would be great for background listening

Atmospheric, minimalistic, relaxed, delicate & sexy. 3.5 stars

It's a bit too sparse musically, while she sound too lost and lamenting for my taste.

on ronfle bien quand même

Mood hyper cool et chill, j'aime bien la voix qui est très bien accompagnée par les instruments.

I love this album, with it's sleek and smooth sound. Margo Timmins' voice is just so haunting and beautiful. Sweet Jane and I Don't Get It are my favorites.

2.2 I'm sorry but that was insanely dull. The only time I think that should be played is in the background of a bar scene set in in the southern US states where the director wants to direct all the attention to the dialogue and have no one even notice there's music playing. If I liked country I might have given it a pass, but alas, really did nothing for me.

Best album i haven't know before this site recomended it to me. Angelic vocals, calm music. Something I will listen to in summer.

Pretty slow and boring. Feels like music for when I'm really really sad.

Probably one of my Desert Island Discs, I just love getting lost in the twilight melancholy of Margo Timmins’ crooning. I didn’t realise that this was all recorded in one night (more or less) in Toronto’s Church of the Holy Trinity all huddled around a single microphone. The church itself is almost like another instrument on this album, its echos and resonances adding to the mood. I like Misguided Angel and Sweet Jane, but the highlights for me are Mining for Gold, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry, and especially Blue Moon Revisited.

Snoozefest

Wasn't really the mood I'd look for, and the whole album just kinda sounded the same downtrodden malaise.

Overall: 8/10 It took a few songs for this to click for me, but those vocals are just so gorgeous that I started to really enjoy this. Seeing the name Cowboy Junkies gave me a certain expectation of what this album might sound like, but I was completely wrong. It's very slow and ethereal, not the type of honky tonk stuff I'm used to with country. This is the country I like. Fav Song: Dreaming My Dreams with You

This is the kind of album I usually have to be in the right mood for. I can’t say I’m over the top about it, but it definitely wasn’t bad either. It sits right on the border between Americana, folk, and slowcore. What really stands out is the ambience, and the way the album uses acoustic room space and microphone placement as part of the production itself, giving it that dreamy, haunting atmosphere that surrounds the entire record.

Nice, mellow listen

Very cool. Listening to this album felt like being in a David Lynch movie. In a good way. There’s more covers than I expected of old country and bluegrass songs but they sound great in this moody bluesy alt-country style. Great!

Intriguing album…

Below average

Cocktail country. Very bland,

I use to own a copy of this over 35 years ago. From memory I absolutely adored it. I barely recognised a song, apart from the Velvets cover, when I played it back this morning. It's still a decent album. It just didn't leave me hanging, wanting more. The mood is more late night than early morning. The ambience thing with the single mic works well. But not the masterpiece my memory wanted it to be.

Misguided Angel Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Angel) Sweet Jane

The sound quality of the Trinity church where the recording occurred is very evident. The songs are slow and atmospheric, but as a result a bit boring in my opinion. I was hoping for a bit more to draw me in. Sweet Jane the obvious highlight. A surprise hit back in 1988

Not for me

Eh, not really my thing, but there were a few tracks I enjoyed pretty well, and I didn't really dislike the rest; I just kind of didn't notice it. Pretty unobjectionable, I guess. Cool backstory though.

I loved this. Didn’t know what to expect. The recording around a single Mic in the church gave it such a great atmosphere and the production around it was incredible. I also am in a sad season of life, and the songs were very fitting for me.

Generic and boring.

I well remember their cover of Sweet Jane - it was all over alternative radio. Overall the album is sleepy and uninteresting to me.

Ok for just chilling

Bo-Ring!

love this album

A great winter album.

Just my style :-)

Not for me

So low and so slow

I went in with low expectations, and came out pleasantly surprised. I thought it sounded beautiful, and all the performances were good. I may have to revisit to really absorb it, but I'm happy to give this a 4 on first listen.

It’s not bad, but from second one it hits a vibe, a level, and it stays there for the next hour. What you hear immediately from this band is all you’re getting, so if you don’t like it, you’re SOL. Beautiful voice for sure, but I’m not sure how necessary this is. This feels like a hyper specific reference but this is music your cool crunch professor would put on in the background while the class worked on group projects or something.

2.5

4.5

This was recorded in a church around a single microphone, and it sounds like it. It takes basic elements of country - twangy guitar, harmonica, heartbroken lyrics, an affinity for covers - and removes everything else until what's left is a fragile echo of the genre. It's beautiful. And a little hard to listen to. Because it's so skeletal, you have to listen closely or it risks fading into the background. But all of the tracks are so similarly stark that as the album goes on very little that's new happens. Some of the tracks have harmonica, some feel more bluesy, but they're all quietly haunting and deliberate. Even as a fan of slowcore, I find it hard to stay invested. The Hank Williams cover is great (and maybe better than the original), as is the storytelling on songs like "Misguided Angel." But it's a bit too long for an album so dedicated to sounding this hauntingly monotonous.

Wasn’t expecting to like this so much

This is an insight into the Gen X psyche. They believe that country is the core of all music for some reason

It was fine. A agree with the other user who said this is probably more contextual, if I had wanted something softer it would have been rated higher but didn’t elevate itself enough to transcend that feeling. A couple great songs though.

- nope - 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummer al toegevoegd aan MMMM

Sakķjjķjķsailing ynder thebinfjrejde

I found this album well done and well performed for what I could tell they were trying to do, but I also found it very tame and on the border of boring, as it neither challenged me or gave me any real emotion (even sadness like some slow music can do). So, ultimately, I don't understand why it should be on this list when there is already albums by Low, a slow, somber band with emotion and complex, interesting music, and there are other examples of alt-country-esque albums I think would be better, from that side of things, too.

So fucking sad

The Sweet Jane cover and some other nice covers and Blue Moon was a treat and it definitely has a vibe but not what I was expecting. Good background music? Said they made it in response to midi and drum machines and it's definitely steps above that.

Peaceful, easy melancholy listening...but if you've heard one song you've heard em all

the first song is decent but... you underestimated my ability to hear elements i hate in a song. so once the accordion in the second song hit it seems like that this is a total disaster. the cover of blue moon is a tiny bit better. 3/5

It's a vibe huh. Beautiful haunting vocals and instrumentation

Good but not my style

Not what I was expecting, and some solid performances on here. I wouldn't really call it memorable, though, and not worth the list for me.

Her voice is more boring than golf. I mean, what do you think her range is? An octave and a half?

An album that is, in my opinion, miscategorized on Apple Music. It is not Pop or even Rock, it is clearly one of the early templates of Alt Country and more appropriately Folk Rock when it came out in the 1980s. While the performances and engineering are adequate, the arrangements are so sparse that it becomes dragging and boring pretty quickly. This could have been any quartet fronted by a jazz singer, of which there are many. What makes this one so special? Prefer the "Blue Moon" covers of the Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart song by either The Marcels or Elvis Presley. This version doesn't veer far enough from it to inject it with new life and makes the cover not worth doing in the first place. Same goes for their cover of the Hank Williams song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". Favorites: "Mining for Gold", even though it is another cover originally by James Gordon, and "Sweet Jane" (almost anyone can sing better than Lou Reed). One of the most enjoyable parts of the album was the chit chat that occurred after the final "Walking After Midnight" concludes. Not one of my personal favorites from the 80s. I was a fan of 80s production ideas that were more forward thinking and took chances on technology and this album avoids all of that and revisits traditionalism from decades before.

I liked the sound of her voice and the band, but the songs on this album became very repetitive.

Well, the description 'alternative country' didn't bode well...but there didn't seem to be much alternative or country in there. In fact it's all pretty dull stuff. They even seem to make Sweet Jane bland.

Mellow and snoozy zzzzzzz

Thought it would be more junkies and less cowboys. I was wrong

Fun fact: their version of “Queen Jane” was so ubiquitous on adult alternative radio in my childhood that my first time hearing the OG Velvet Underground song left me feeling concussed. Anyway, you can play this at a minimum volume on loop for my entire life and I’d find it pleasant, but when actually focusing on it I find it mid.

it was alright…

A little tame for my current taste, but a solid record nonetheless.

This album is an entire vibe. The kind of band you want to catch accidentally in a small jazz club, just ducking in out of the wind and snow, stoned and enraptured. Calm, dark, and confident, like a pulp fiction detective smoking in a midnight alleyway, this album caught me off guard in the best way. I had heard their version of “Sweet Jane” on the Natural Born Killers soundtrack back in the late 90s (still one of the best soundtracks ever compiled), but every one of the tracks on this collection of songs is incredible.

I quite enjoyed this. Didn’t know what to expect but it was pretty decent

A beautiful album, dripping in atmosphere, with gorgeous, sultry vocals and interesting, sparse instrumentation. But like a near-perfect meal with too much salt, it becomes a bit one-note, oppressively slow and somber.

This is very dull. It's sort of jazz-y slow country. But the songs are quite dreary (and the selection of songs they cover very uninspired, even their version of Sweet Jane is boring) and the main attraction seems to be the polite guitar noodling in the background. The only thing worse than regular guitar noodling is polite guitar noodling. Barely made it to the end of the record.

A nice collection of classic folk songs (and maybe some originals?). Easy listening.

This might be a literal antithesis to Cowboys from Hell, which were released at about the same time

Very dull. Ok I guess

Not my thing

Not for me.

Unremarkable, this could have played in the background in a waiting area and I wouldn't have noticed the music at any point during the album. 2/5

This was quite pleasant

It was mostly boring to me.

Great voice.

Sweet Jane and Walking After Midnight are absolute killers, rest of the album is a slog

Not a band I knew and I don’t know if this is their usual style. It’s quite cool that they performed this in a church with just a single microphone, which gives it a live acoustic feel. It’s a combination of original and covers, and I believe Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis) is literally a combination of original and cover. It’s a vibe, it feels mostly country and folk but incorporates some blues also. It’s lacking in any real variation and this challenge doesn’t always find me in the right moment to properly appreciate something, although, this album found me on a Sunday morning, so I’m feeling far more patient than I might; maybe this is one for quiet reflection which might be suited to the evening. I can imagine this will be something that people will love or find boring but I’m probably somewhere between the two. The final few bluesy tracks was where it really went up a notch for me, with the album ending on a high.

Good stuff; had to pull out the vinyl and hear it on that as well

This is a good one. She has an amazing voice, and the quality of the recording with its reverb and warm tones is fantastic. Put this one on and just chill.

Há momentos interessantes, embora seja um pouco difícil (para mim) se manter totalmente atento durante toda a jornada.

Good.

2 stars, didn't hate or like. it's very boring. It's not that I don't like this vibe, as I enjoy alt country a la widowspeak, mojave 3, chris isaak, mitski's "the land is inhospitable and so are we" but this album wasn't clicking for me. I think there was too much 'silence', like between solos and stuff. my favorite was sweet jane but if your best song on an album is a cover....... not a good sign

This was not what I was expecting. I liked it quite a bit. They have a really cool raw sound. Nothing sounded overproduced. It felt like I was watching them live in a tiny venue. I loved the way the instruments flowed together and her voice is lovely.

This was cool. I liked it first go around, then kind of got bored on relisten. It was definitely not was I had expected. I really like the raw nature of this. Recording totally live, which is really cool. I also really like the covers. I had a blast with this record, but I’m also a sucker for alt country.

Liked it at first, liked their rendition of Blue Moon, started to get tired of it about 40 minutes in and was done with it at the end. Sadly too long.

Timeless album. So dang good.

Eh. Haven't heard. Not bad, but really got to be in the mood to enjoy/vibe with it.

I don't hate it but I don't like it very much. It just seems so quiet.

Don't even know if I finished the album. Cool that it only cost $250 to make and only one microphone.

The most immaculate VU cover ever lived here.

Loved it, has a nice Mazzy Star late night vibe.

Interesting country stuff but nothing stand out

I’d heard the name Cowboy Junkies forever, but never once listened to any of their music. I just assumed they were some alternative rock or punk band. I was close. The Cowboy Junkies are an alternative country band. They’re the kind of band that’s too country for country radio, but they’re also too country for rock radio. The Tinrity Session was the second album from the group and it was recorded in the Holy Church of the Trinity in Toronto. The album is made up of cover songs and originals. There are several songs on the album you’ve heard, but probably not by the Cowboy Junkies. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry, Sweet Jane, Walkin’ After Midnight, and Working On A Building are a few of the covers. The band’s most well-known song is the cover of Sweet Jane, a Velvet Underground song. The Cowboy Junkies could have also been named the Timmins Family Band because most of the musicians on The Trinity Session were Timmins. In fact, to get permission to record in the still active church, the group said they were a Chrisitan group called the Timmins Family Singers and they were recording a Christmas album. So, they didn't really lie to church officials. The album is really good, but it’s how they recorded it that fascinates me. The band recorded the album using one stereo mic straight to tape, with the band circled around the mic. The band began the sessions by recording the simplest songs with the fewest instruments first, then moved on to songs with the more complicated arrangements later. Lead singer Margo Timmins’ vocals were recorded through a PA system the group found at the church. According to the album sleeve, the album was not mixed, overdubbed, or edited in any way. The bulk of the album was recorded in one day in the church, with one last song, Mining For Gold, sung by Margo Timmins a capella, was recorded a few days later. That’s badass. The album came out in 1988, and I'm sure it couldn't find a home on the radio or MTV. But good music always finds a way. I remember hearing about the Cowboy Junkies most of my life. Margo Timmins' voice is the highlight of the album. You can’t help but focus on it and feel her every emotion. The musicianship is well done, but the arrangements are fairly sparse, which is not a bad thing. I think those who are alt-country fans or someone who loves country music would enjoy this album. For those who don’t care for what’s considered country music today, they would find this album quite refreshing. As for an album you have to hear before you die? I’ll say yes. This was essentially recorded in one day on one mic in a historic church in Toronto. You can really picture the band huddled around the mic playing these beautiful songs.

What a yawn fest. This is the kind of stuff that needs to be excised from this list.

Just a bit dull really.

oh yeahh cuntry music yo hell yeah

Surprised - love them

No life in this music.

p593. 1988. 2 stars. Starts off well and descends quickly into a country and western snoozefest. I nearly fell asleep whilst driving listening to this.

I'd heard Sweet Jane for decades, but never really gave these guys a shot... even when I got really interested in folk and Americana stuff in the past few years. I thought I would love this, but for whatever reason I just didn't vibe with the voice of the lead singer.

Wake me up when it’s over

a nice reprieve.

Not really for me, although the singer had a lovely voice

I hated this album when I was young. Too slow. Too dull. Now I'm older and wiser and appreciate the fact that they set out to create the best album ever for late 80s proto-hopsters to fuck to.