Search - Bruce Cockburn :: Live

Musician And Songwriter Feast

John Lyons | Atlanta, Georgia | 05/13/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bruce Cockburn is another of those supremely underrated artists. I can't think of a better way to find this out than wearing out this excellent CD.



I was a Bruce Cockburn fan in the early folk days, and didn't follow when he went the route of pop/reggae/disco social/political music. Recently a friend lent me a stack of his CDs, to catch up and re-evaluate. While I like his work much better than I used to (the guy is a very good songwriter and musician and I was overly superficial and critical), I wasn't ready to slap down any money on a particular CD (well, probably Dart To The Heart, I still like his non-political side).



Until I got to this one. This is a wonderful summary of years of his music, stripped of all the extra production values and musical effects. The only instruments are guitar, bass, drums and vocal. The songs are basically the same as the CD, but more alive, easier to see their essence. The sound quality is excellent, the musicianship is excellent (let me repeat, excellent), the song selection is excellent, the vocals are excellent... Sorry, I just can't think of a down side to this CD.



If you haven't discovered Bruce Cockburn already, I think you will find his guitar work and sandpaper-smooth voice are really a pleasure to listen to. And if you have, this album makes it all fresh again.

"

His 21st Album

Cletus J. "Bubba" Huckabee Jr. | Chesterfield County | 12/17/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"(also erroneously known as "Bruce Cockburn Live")(75.3 minutes)



Now if you ask me, and a passel of folk what are interested in live musical recording do now and again, this here Live is about the best live album Bruce Cockburn has done. I reckon I am prejudiced towards this one because it is a whole lot longer that either of the other two so I get to enjoy even more music than in them two offerings. See, whenever I can hear more Bruce -then it's better.



Which brings me to another point, that Bruce Springberg feller, he ain't never accomplished anything quite as monumental as anything Bruce Cockburn has done. He done a bunch of albums where he wails the praises of New Jersey and sings about the plight of the working man... but that gets old fast. The real Bruce, Bruce Cockburn, gets considerably deeper than New Jersey and ephemeral blue collar concerns. He sings songs that are often about the human condition and Mr. Springberg ain't never delved that deep. This entire subject gets my hackles raised.



Another thing what gets my hackles raised is the fact that this here album is clearly marked with a title, and the title is "Live." The title ain't "Bruce Cockburn Live." The title is one simple word. I don't make a habit of correcting folk who insist on mispronouncing things or habitually making the same mistake (even though I find it irritating as all get out) but when it comes to Bruce and the details of his recordings, I am a stickler for the minutiae. Just like that other album he released in 1978 ain't called "The Further Adventures of Bruce Cockburn" as some web-based music retailers insist... all they have to do is look at the blasted thing and see what words on the cover and that pretty much equals the title. That album has the words "Further Adventures of" on the front, and I reckon that pretty clearly indicates that that is the name of the thing.



I know I am wandering down the garden path and departing from the subject at hand and I ask you to forgive me of doing that... I just get worked up sometimes. I have some subjects of great interest that I am particular about, Bruce Cockburn being one, the Designated Hitter Rule being another. I can mark the downfall of our society from 1973 when that blasted rule was forced on Baseball. If a man picks up a bat, then he ought to have enough self respect to fulfill his duty by getting out in to the field with a glove.



There I go again down the garden path, and this time it is steep, slippery, and tenuous. I best return to Bruce. Buy this album. The extra cut doesn't really add much, as it was fantastic already. Crank it up loud and let your double wide trailer start rocking with the music like we Huckabees do. This, therefore, is my endorsement."