Customer Reviews

In the Falling Dark

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

'In The Falling Dark' is Bruce Cockburn's seventh and probably best studio album (only surpassed by his live in-concert album/CD; 'Circles In The Stream'). The album originally contained -10 tracks- however this re-release includes four additional bonus tracks. If you've never heard of Bruce Cockburn this is the album you should hear first. Get ready to experience the melodic, mystical and richly textured sound of a true innovator and consumate musican. From the very first track, 'Lord Of The Starfields' you'll find yourself drawn to the music in a way you've probably never been before. The music, lyrics and musicianship is impeccable.

Get this CD along with his live in concert 'Circles In The Stream' and 'Salt, Sun and Time.'

My Highest Recommendation!!

Cockburn is a master of the guitar and this album highlights his amazing abilities and songwriting talents. This album is probably one of the least political and angry of Cockburn's work (though "Gavin's Woodpile" shows something of what is to come) and so in many ways makes a great introduction to his sheer musical ability. "Lord of the Starfields" is heartbreakingly beautiful. Cockburn's lyrics are poetry in their own right.

Ideally all cd reissues should be this good. In The Falling Dark has always been a masterpiece. Bruce's 1976 album set a new standard of excellence for him. The lyrics, songwriting and musicianship (especially Bruce's guitar playing) are all exquisite. But I want to write briefly about Rounder Records Cockburn reissue program. At the time of this writing it has been probably 4 or 5 years since Rounder announced that they were re-releasing all of Bruce's catalog - all remastered, with new liner notes and with bonus tracks. Since Bruce's cd's haven't always sounded all that great this was welcome news to many of us, even if it meant that we would now be buying some of Bruce's records for the 3rd time. In my opinion the Rounder reissues have been a mixed blessing. First off - these reissues have slowed to a glacier like crawl. I believe that there was some sort of schedule to release 3 or 4 cd's at a time every 4 to 6 months. Lately it's been taking well over a year between batches. The bonus tracks on some of the reissues have been less than great. A mediocre instrumental track or 2 on "Dancing In The Dragons Jaws" and "Further Adventures Of" added nothing to these reissues. A single additional live song on "Humans" or "Big Circumstance" is nothing to get excited about either. The biggest disappointment to me was the 1977 live album Circles In The Stream. Rounder had a great opportunity to expand this to 2 cd's and put out some additional rare live 70's Bruce, but they neglected to do that and simply reissued it without any bonus material. On the plus side the remastering on every cd has been an improvement; on most a very significant improvement. BUT The stand-out best of all these reissues IMO is In The Falling Dark. The sound upgrade is incredible. Bruce's masterful guitar work and vocals are crystal clear; makes my previous cd sound like an 8-track. And the 4 bonus tracks are all great - a beautiful, lengthy 3rd instrumental for this album, the lost studio version of Red Brother Red Sister, the lovely Dweller By A Dark Stream, and a "new" Cockburn Christmas song - Shepherds (with a different melody than the one on his Christmas album). If you could only buy one of the Rounder reissues this is the one with the most to offer.

No wonder i love to listen to Bruce, this recording is a blessing. I will not go into detail because the way it looks you will never be able to listen to it except if you have friends in strange places. Now, if you have friends that may have this recording, get them to make a copy, is up there with Humans, Stealing Fire, Big Circumstance and Nothing but a Burning Light. Very cosmic in a Canadian kind of way, like Neil ...

This is the one that hooked me on Bruce. I can still recall the time of day, May 15, 1976, driving from Toronto to Ottawa, absolutely brilliant day along the St Lawrence, when "Silver Wheels" came on CHUM FM. I pulled into Kingston and found a record store, bought the tape and from that point on felt heart and soul stirred by the music, lyrics and passion of this great, great national treasure of Canada.

That said, I've been dancing... as indicated above ever since. There are so many great, great tunes on this CD. Unquestionably, his creative engines were firing on all cylinders. His supporting musicians played like their lives depended on it, and the music rolls over you like the great Canadian landscape from Ottawa to the Northwest Territories. "Lord of the Starfields", "Vagabondage", "Gavin's Woodpile" and of course "Silver Wheels" are sheer genius, any one of which would be a landmark acheivement for any songwriter worth his salt. The instrumentals crack with finesse and extraordinary dexterity and intelligence.
This is as brilliant a remastering of an album that set sonic integrity standards when it was released. The additional material complements as well as compliments what the original sequence was. Most of this CD points to directions Bruce would pick up later in life, and so you will find here the genesis of many of his passions.
I have written before that Cockburn's never written a rum track on any disc. And so, when you come across a CD like this one or DANCING IN THE DRAGON'S JAWS or CIRCLES IN THE STREAM or BREAKFAST IN NEW ORLEANS, or STEALING FIRE or so many others, the overwhelming power and commitment to his craft tends to blow you out past Newfoundland. His creative process was underway from his eponymous debut through SALT, SUN and TIME and when it got here, Bruce was in absolutely full command of his deeply affecting powers. The whole thing picked up steam on this valley road and ideas seemed to rear up and explode, and well, you get the point. Get this. It is a truly remarkable CD.

Years ago I was sitting in an art class & I heard these words from a song "Lord of the Starfield, ancient of days, universe maker, here is a song in your praise..." All of a sudden I knew exactly what the song was about & the singer sounded like me. I asked the owner of the CD player "Who is singing?" & he replied "Bruce Cockburn, a Canadian folk-rock songwriter". I then asked what CD's to buy & he told me "In the Falling Dark" & "Humans". After school I bought them both & when I got home to play them in my room, my father knocked on the door "Is that you singing?"

Bruce Cockburn writes songs with such depth & spirit...even if a few songs might take 3 to 4 listens...most songs on "Lord of the Starfield" deal with praises to God (Lord of the Starfield & Festival of Friends) or life under the sea (Little Seahorse) or about his wife's forming baby, while another song is about the fooliness of governments (Gavin's Woodpile). There is even a song written & sung in French (Vagabondage), & a very well crafted guitar instrumental (Water into Wine), which begins in a gentle flow & then ends with an up beat medley. "Lord of the Starfield" is a great place to start with Bruce Cockburn.