Customer Reviews

Speechless

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well into his fourth decade of recording (his self-titled debut was released in 1970), Bruce Cockburn has not been able to break out of his cult status in the United States despite his enormous popularity in his native Canada (where he has earned numerous Juno Awards). In fact, most Americans--if they have heard of him at all--only know Cockburn (pronounced "co-burn") from his lone 1980 minor hit "Wondering Where the Lions Are" or perhaps from the heavy rotation on MTV of "If I Had a Rocket Launcher" from 1984's STEALING FIRE. And that's a damn shame. Not only is Cockburn a distinguished singer-songwriter, he is an accomplished guitarist as this collection attests to.

There are only three new recordings, in addition to "Rise and Fall" from 1999 and previously only available in Japan. The remaining eleven tracks are taken from earlier albums. The oldest track is "Sunwheel Dance" (from the album of the same name) and like much of his early Seventies work has a very folky feel to it.

Some of the tracks mine a definite jazz groove like "Rouler Sa Bosse" from 1974's SALT SUN AND TIME and "Mistress of Storms" from 1996's THE CHARITY OF NIGHT. [The former includes Jack Zaza on clarinet and the latter features Gary Burton on vibes.]

Of the three new tunes, Cockburn performs solo guitar on the atmospheric "Elegy" with hints of Spanish influences, and "King Kong Goes to Tallahasse" is a lazy blues number that invokes John Fahey at his most melodic. On the final new recording, "The End of All Rivers," Cockburn incorporates world music elements by also playing Tibetan bowl and Navajo flute.

If you're looking for a solid introduction to the guitar prowess of this amazing musician, this collection does a thorough job of sampling Cockburn's entire career. SPEECHLESS may not have lyrics, but it speaks volumes. [Running Time - 68:50] VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

With all due respect to Eric Clapton, I believe that Bruce Cockburn is the guitar virtuoso of the age. Anyone that's attended one of BC's concerts comes away amazed at how he reinterprets studio album cuts so that they sound fresh and new. And that's why I, a dyed in the wool BC fan, am somewhat disappointed in SPEECHLESS.
Of the 15 tracks on this instrumental album, 11 are the original album performances; 3 are new, and 1 was only available previously in Japan. How I wish Bruce could have given us new renderings of the "classics" featured on SPPECHLESS. I'm not about to cast my copy of the album out the window, but think it could have been even better. Just the same, SPEECHLESS is worthy of a place on the BC fan's shelf.

Not many singer-songwriters can present something new with a compilation CD spanning 35 years of their artistic career. It has worked brilliantly for critically acclaimed Canadian icon, Bruce Cockburn. In particular, the collection features compositions from the early seventies that may no longer be familiar. Others are taken from various recordings made in the nineties. Three pieces are new creations recorded especially for this CD. Expertly produced by Bruce and long term friend and collaborator Colin Linden, they all sound new and fresh. Bruce is a acoustic guitar virtuoso as well as a composer expressing himself in many styles and rhythms: from blues to jazz to country and folk. The result is one hour and eight minutes of total listening pleasure.

Taking instrumental pieces from different recordings into a special collection gives them more prominence than when presented in between his usually powerful songs with lyrics. Combined together they underscore Cockburn's creative strength. They succeed in drawing the listener into a rich, diverse, melodious and expressive world where words are not needed and the mind can wander. The slow and haunting "Deep Lake" from the CD "Breakfast in New Orleans, Dinner in Timbuktu" or the new recording "The End of All Rivers" come to mind. Beautiful! Personally, I am not able to specify any favourites among the pieces. While some Cockburn fans might miss the lyrics and Bruce's distinctive voice, I am certain this CD will open his music to a wider general audience. [Friederike Knabe]

Anyone who has paid the least bit of attention to Cockburn knows that he is a formidable guitarist. A graduate of Berklee along with Pat Metheny, and clearly influenced by the immortal Mississippi John Hurt, Cockburn has sprinkled his CDs with instrumental tracks of wonder through out his career. Some of the very best of those are collected here along with three newer efforts that will leave you stunned and smiling. You'd handily sell your soul to any divination to play half this well.
There really is no other message to this. This is just fantatstic guiatr playing, soulful, joyful, intricate, simple. Like Teilhard de Chardin, Cockburn seeks to hold both ends of the string. He does so with a sense of wonder. Prepare your sensibilities to become spellbound!

All in all, `Speechless` is an excellent album but it is still slightly disappointing because Brucie's new distributors do seem to be a little too keen to run the fanbase for all its worth. After downloading a number of the `bonus tracks` from I-Tunes, that drove the point home that Rounder Records really are just in it for the money. (Before any of the Cockburnistas come after me, I own 99.9% of BC's official catalogue so I know of what I speak.)

With all that said, Bruce Cockburn is easily one of the best guitarists out there so the music is still top form. This would be a great introduction for someone who perhaps isn't bowled over by introspective lyrics or is more inclined to the `giants` of jazz or folk guitar (Pat Metheny or Bert Jansch spring to mind) Secondly, even though it's tagged as an instrumental album Cockburn is speaking very clearly through his guitar. The older pieces such as Foxglove, Rouler Sa Bosse and Islands In A Black Sky hold together well and the `new` tracks prove that he hasn't lost any of his old form. A worthy addition to yours or a friends collection.

Well, it's about time, Bruce.

When I was first turned onto The Other Boss's music back in 1978, what I noticed behind the cool singing voice and the spectacular, highly-evolved lyrics was a virtuoso plucking and strumming away with wild abandon. No doubt Bruce will always be revered and remembered as a tour-de-force singer/songwriter, but God willing--with the aid of the release of this long-overdue collection of shimmering instrumentals--he will also be remembered as one of the finest guitarists of all time, bar none. Bruce is one of the main reasons I picked up an acoustic and began playing again in the 70's, after having abandoned my guitar lessons when I was an irresponsible kid. He is at the top of a list of guitar illuminaries who have held me....well, speechless, ever since the late 60's: Greg Lake, Stephen Stills, James Taylor, Steve Howe, all 3 members of America, the early Eagles, Furay-Cotton-Young of Poco, Don McLean, Joni Mitchell, Steve Hackett, Eric Clapton, and the triumvirate of Leo Kottke, Peter Lang & John Fahey. Bruce's music is a universe unto itself, but as other reviewers have already stated, you can hear influences of all genres of guitar music in his playing. And 36 years of being in the recording business hasn't snuffed out his fire yet, either--the 3 new songs included on here are astounding. When I saw Bruce perform almost 2 years ago in Lawrence, KS at Liberty Hall, a lot of us walked out of the auditorium after the concert wondering what that cool instrumental piece was that had the echo-plexed guitar solos in it...and how great it is now to know that "The End of All Rivers" is included in this magnificent collection. I can't relate to the whinings in here about there being "not enough new stuff." Please...let the guy do what he wants. He's already given us a few best-of collections of his vocal songs; I, for one, am glad to see a collection like this where his playing takes a front seat to his singing, and remember--he GAVE us those 3 new songs, which he didn't have to do.

I'd like to add this as well as a postscript: Bruce Cockburn is a true gentleman among musicians. After the Liberty Hall concert in 2003, I was very happy to find out that what some fellow Cockburn fans had told me was true: Bruce does enjoy meeting and talking with those who love his music. To have been able to shake his hand, get an autograph, tell him how FURTHER ADVENTURES OF had always been my favorite album of his, and for him to have even let me give him a big ol' bear hug added up to being one of the great moments of my life. And it's a joy to know that in 19 days he'll be here in Kansas City to play again. Got my ticket and can hardly wait. If you've never had the privilege of seeing this man in concert, do yourself the best possible favor and catch him on his current tour. You'll see for yourself what all the brouhaha is all about. Then, if you get the chance, treat yourself to his VHS called MY BEAT, which has some fantastic archive clips of him early in his career.

Bruce Cockburn, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot & Leonard Cohen.....thank God for Canada.

I jus recently saw Bruce perform on October 30th and he did a few songs off of this album and I was just blown away. The way he puts the sounds together and how comfortable he is on the acoustic is just amazing. Ya there are some songs off of old albums but who could really get enough of Bruce. It's such a great album and even better watching it live so if you get a chance I would HIGHLY recommend it. And the album is not called speechless for the purpose of thats how its going to leave you (which it does anyway) but rather speechless cause theres no spoken words on the entire cd, however the music speaks for itself. Beautiful album one of my favs off it would have to be "Rouler Sa Bosse" but everything else is great too. No Cockburn collection could be complete without this so lets thank Bruce for realeasing this one.

Playing Time - 68:43 -- Bruce Cockburn is a world-renowned guitar master who has released his first ever instrumental recording. Produced by Colin Linden and Bruce Cockburn, "Speechless" includes some previously recorded material along with new recordings. "Sunwheel Dance," for example, was the title track from an album released on True North Records in 1971. "Fox Glove" comes from 1973 "Night Vision" project, "Salt, Sun and Time" from the 1974 record of the same name, and "Mistress of Storms" from 1996's "The Charity of Night." One composition, "Rise and Fall," was previously only available in Japan. Bruce's new recordings include "The End of All Rivers," "King Kong Goes to Tallahassee," and "Elegy." The common thread throughout his songs is one of warmth spun from the yarn of peaceful personality, charisma and state of mind.

Cockburn has written hundreds of songs for his over two dozen albums. He's also received numerous awards. Known as a compassionate ambassador for humanitarian causes throughout the world, he has traveled extensively to most of the continents. In January 2004, he was in Baghdad. His music is an extension of his personal feelings and desires to put an end to war, poverty, starvation, hate, violence and other social injustices. Thus, "Speechless" is a bit of a misnomer for this album because Cockburn's music speaks volumes, depending on how you interpret, reflect or meditate with it. (Joe Ross, Roseburg, OR.)

This is a wonderful CD if you enjoy guitar. It is very calming after a long day and the 'Deep Lake' track is especially relaxing.

I am so amazed at the virtuosity and beauty of Bruce's CD. I knew he was a great guitar player from the other CDs of his that I have purchased, but I had no idea how great. I find myself listening to this CD for hours, and since I got it a couple of weeks ago, it is all I listen to. I play guitar a little myself, and am always trying to figure what he is doing on different parts of his songs, so your mileage may vary, but I unreservedly recommend this CD to anyone interested in instrumental guitar.