Customer Reviews

You've Never Seen Everything

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This album is a difficult one that has taken me well over a year to get into. The excursions into world beat that were present on Cockburn's last album, "Breakfast in New Orleans, Dinner in Timbuktu", are here thrown into overdrive and one is left with a very world-oriented folk album. It is a rather left-of-center departure given his work over the last decade and its unexpectedness is likely to leave more than one listener scratching her/his head wondering what exactly Cockburn is doing.

It isn't just world beat that Cockburn uses in considerable doses on this album; jazz-esque dissonance shows up on songs such as "Trickle Down" and "Don't Forget About Delight". The latter has just enough dissonance to be memorable and even hummable; the stripped-down-jam feel of "Trickle Down", however, suffers from a lack of melody. Cockburn seems to have spent far more time working on the music itself on this album and less time on his own vocal instrumentation; the musicianship is absolutely stellar, but a bit more singing than spoken word would have been appreciated by this listener. Nonetheless, songs such as "Open" and "Put it in Your Heart" are genuinely refreshing folk-rock songs, while "Celestial Horses" and "Messenger Wind" show Cockburn in a more traditional, stripped-back role.

Cockburn remains a master of the poetic. He is certainly one of the greatest poet-lyricists alive today, inhabiting a sphere entirely his own. The lyrics on this album are just as stunning as any of his prior releases and are worth reading in addition to listening to just for the sake of taking all of Cockburn in. Cockburn is well-known for his own socio-political commentary, as well as for the role that a rather left-wing Christianity takes in informing Cockburn's worldview. It also seems that he has been spending a bit of time studying Sufism, given the liner notes (by no means a bad thing!); the influence of both of these pervade the lyrics.

Cockburn's albums tend to be rather thick - perhaps "dense" is a better word - and this album is no exception. Yet, it seems to be far more tightly wound than any of his more recent work. To get into the core - the kernel - of it one must listen to it repeatedly; only upon repeated listens do the musical and lyrical subtleties begin to emerge. It is a truly rich kernel, though; the meat of this album takes time to get to but to finally reach that point is sweet. Let Cockburn take you there.

Bruce Cockburn's latest album not only grabs you immediately with his intense lyrics, but with the amazingly diverse musical styles. It's as if he put his hand in a musical grab bag and pulled out all of the stops. You've never heard everything, until you've heard this album. For those who have grown to expect incendiary and world weary lyrics from Bruce, you will certainly get enough of that here. But, the musical soundscape that the lyrics are laid upon, is amazing. I hear references to almost all of Bruce's musical catalogue and more so in these tunes.

When I heard Bruce play the majority of these songs live and solo, I was not impressed. But, the album carries these songs much better in the context of a musical ensemble. Rather than taking the usual lead with his intricate guitar work, he sets each song to rhythms which are colored by the diverse musicians on this album. Lovely violin work by Hugh Marsh and sweet harmonica by Gregoire Maret offset the melodies of Bruce's words. The percussion and drumming by Stephen Hodge and Ben Riley respectively, is some of the best you will hear on any album.

"Tried and Tested" is a great song to lead off the album. Bruce has always leaned towards an organic and acoustic sound for the majority of his work, but the first instrument we hear is a synthesized drum track loop. This only serves to support the hazy drug-like drone of the swirling guitar riffs in classic electric Cockburn style. This track could easily have been from his last project, "Breakfast in New Orleans, Dinner in Timbuktu (1999)". There are many lyrical references to past Cockburn songs ranging from "In the Falling Dark", to "Somebody Touched Me".

"Open" is definitely the obvious choice for a single. I was reminded of the delicate guitar work from "Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws (1979)". It seems a rumination on the mysteries of love and chance.

"All Our Dark Tomorrows" is a direct follow up to "Feast of Fools" from "Further Adventures Of (1978)". There is a deep and slow burning anger at the injustices being done by those in power. The future is clouded with uncertainty, but as Bruce sees it, could be preventable if only we would open our eyes.

"Trickle Down" shows the jazz influence of co-writer and pianist Andy Milne. It has the overall feel of the classic, "Night Vision (1973)" album. An extremely jazzy piece that borders on improvisation, this is one of the few songs that leaves you feeling happier than it should.

"Everywhere Dance". Wow! What can I say? This sounds like it was written for the "Salt, Sun & Time (1974)" album. For those acoustic guitar players out there, this is one to listen to. Amazing guitar work and uplifting, spiritual lyrics. Life is a dance, and we can't help but be drawn into to it, if we have any life in us at all.

"Put it in Your Heart" is the dark B-side to "Last Night of the World". Of course, the subject matter is way too big for anyone to lyrically do justice to. But, in the few words he's crafted, Bruce is able to put a human response that sees much more of the bigger picture than most of us are capable of. "A soul that's turned it's back on love", indeed. We are all still part of the human family in spite of what we do to each other.

"Postcards From Cambodia" is an apt title for this spoken word piece. This is the kind of thing we're come to expect from Bruce, but the music, and in particular, the arrangement, sweeps the listener into more than just storytelling. It becomes a resonant mantra for the whole tragedy of what has happened to the Cambodian people.

"Wait No More" is a great surprise! The rhythm of "Stolen Land", with the sentiment of "Pacing the Cage". This is a wonderful blues tune, that could end up becoming a standard for any musicians with ears to hear the possibilities.

"Celestial Horses" is a song that dates back to 1978. It's easy to see the shift in perspective in the lyrics, but the music seems to fit from the "Dart to the Heart (1994)" period. Almost a lazy country song, it feels like a warm Summer's night.

"You've Never Seen Everything". This is Bruce's "Revolution 9". A soundscape of looped instruments and jarring guitar chords, all set to lyrics of such horror that you find the images staying with you for days afterward. This is not a track that can be listened to a few times and dismissed as an experiment. Because, once you grow accustomed to the bizarre musical soundscape, the power of the lyrics crystallizes the sense of impotent and stunned emotions that Bruce is dealing with. The way he phrases the word, "pitchfork" almost sounds like his voice is breaking in emotion because of the mind numbing horror of it all. Thank God this is followed up by...

"Don't Forget About Delight". I am reminded of the album, "Joy Will Find a Way (1975)". And in fact, they express much the same sentiment. This song is a humane and human response to the injustices Bruce sees in the world around him. It is also a reminder of what we often forget, "Anger drips and pools and then it passes".

"Messenger Wind" is the kind of a song that seems to hearken back to the days of "High Winds White Sky (1971)". So simple in it's structure and beautiful in melody, it is a folk song in the truest sense. We can almost imagine ourselves with Bruce "In front of the house where I'm supposed to be born". And the symbol of the wind is of course, the spirit of God. It is in the spiritual that Bruce finds the answers of all of the questions he has put forth in this album. In spite of the darkness around us, the human quality which rises to the surface is hope. A fitting end to an rollercoaster musical and emotional experience.

*****
Five out of Five Stars...

Bruce Cockburn has never been a pop artist or one that demands public attention. But, unfortunately he should be. Cockburn sings his conscious and brings to light those things that people would rather be kept dark. You would think the way people love watching reality shows that Cockburn would be more popular. Cockburn melds excellent folk/rock guitar with reggae, rock, jazz or world beat rhythms in order to make his real life observances more palatable. Whether singing of distant far off lands of brutal regimes "You've Never Seen Everything" and "Postcards from Cambodia" or one's closer to home "Trickle Down" the man sees the truth we should all see but either are ignorant of, or worse elect to ignore. I guess some would enjoy his rough Audio paintings but can't complete the circle when he tries to make sense of it all and provide the answers in "Wait no More" or "Celestial Horses". I have never heard anyone sing of love so honestly or earnestly. So many people look for answers in the wrong places, Cockburn leads us into the dark but at least has the decency of showing us where the light switch is. Another fine effort from this eclectic artist which ranks up among his best work. As a Cockburn fan this is a must...As a person just starting their journey of enlightenment you might be better served with starting with Breakfast in New Orleans and working their way back in his catalog before appreciating this tapestry of beauty.

Cockburn is noted as one of the best fingerstyle guitarists on the planet. His songs are intellegent, toughtful articulations of his experiences of all areas of life from political and economic concerns to love and longing. You will find him to be fully at home playing rock, jazz, world beat and ethnic sounds, as well as roots and blues compositions. July 2003 issues of Paste Magazine and Acoustic Guitar Player can give the uninitiated a better sense of the calaber of artist Cockburn is. If you enjoy Richard Thompson, Martyn Joseph, Lou Reed, Ani D'Franco, Dylan, David Bowie, Jonatha Brooke, Chris Smither, Patti Griffen, Greg Brown, Patty Larkin, Joni Mitchell, Keb Mo or Leonard Cohen, you will probably like Cockburn. He and his band are currently touring CA, and the US, UK, ND, and DL as a quartet comprized of Ani D'Franco's keyboardist, bass player Steve Lucas and drummer Ben Riley.

He has often challenged the ear with new and intreguing sounds that draw the listener into new musical territory. There are many examples of his gathering from eclectic influences here, from electronica and Toots Thelman-style harmonica to gamalon players. There are other great artists featured on the album, too, from the return of wonderful electric violinist Hugh Marsh (who lit up Cockburn's 80s band) to Tom Waits' rhythm section, and the harmony background vocals of his guests: Jackson Brown, Sarah Harmer, Emmylou Harris, Jonel Mosier, and Sam Phillips. Special treats on this, his 27th album, are two stand-out collaborations with young jazz pianist Andy Milne, the biting "Trickle Down," and the gorgious "Everywhere Dance." Cockburn's compositions are pieces of art that powerfully touch the heart and soul, casting shadows and revealing joy. Over the years he has received countless kudos for his mastery of metaphore and is even quoted in poetry textbooks. His skill with words perhaps exceedes his capabilities as a player--and he's an absolutely outstanding player (a south paw) that guitarists in his audiance stare in awe at. Give this a few listens. It will grow on you, perhaps expand your horizons and give you some things to think about as well as to dance to. If you've never listened to Cockburn, be sure to check out his back catalog of work, too. Newly remastered reissues with bonus tracks are available.

Bruce Cockburn ranks in the very top echelon of musicians that can deeply move and inspire me by the imaginative beauty of their artistry. Bruce excels in so many dimensions, from his impeccable guitar playing to his deftly textured, rhythmic song craft and perhaps most importantly in his lyrical grace as poet and prophet.

This is one of Bruce's more darker albums and one of his most politically charged. I must admit it was not one of his most immediately accessible albums to me and required a number of listenings. But certainly it has become for me an album aptly suited and cathartic for these politically turbulent, distressing times. This is a worthy addition to the rich canon of Bruce Cockburn music in my estimation.

I would like to add a counterpoint to the numerous choruses of opinion throughout these reviews that complain of Bruce's outspoken political viewpoints.

Although I can understand the need to find escape from time to time, I, for one, greatly appreciate the "fire in the belly" of artists who bring their penetrating sensibilities and pathos to give a voice to the groanings, despair and grief of the world and it's victims. Bruce has developed his own political perspectives from often first hand experience of the horrors of brutal oppression and state violence. This is not artless propagandistic ranting but deep stirrings from the heart of the poet. Kudos to someone who has remained true to his idealism over the decades and keeps his heart open to the pain and despair of the world.

But Bruce is not a one trick pony here. His songs also speak of grace and beauty, love and mystery, hope and human goodness. Bruce continues to help me in my quest to see the world with the eye of the poet. Yes, he doesn't provide the instant answers (who has them?) but he does call me to reimagine my world to see and release it's innate beauty and to strive to end it's pain. This is a CD well worth the listen.

I am serious Bruce Cockburn fan. I've seen him several times in concert, and have most of his albums. His music is thoughtful and literate, and it seemlessly crosses genres. His blues cover "Nothin' But a Burnin' Light" and the cover of "Blueberry Hill" are just phenomenal. This album is no exception musically. It has moments of brilliance and turn-it-up-loud good music. However, I found myself noticing that the subject matter, or more precisely Bruce Cockburn's take on that subject matter, has a stagnant feel to it -- as if he's stuck. The rage of "All our Dark Tomorrows" has a rehearsed, obligatory feel to it. This is an anger he's managed to maintain through "The Trouble with Normal", "If I Had a Rocket Launcher", "Call it Democracy" and "Gospel of Bondage." By now, he's said all that he can say about the greed and corruption of power and doesn't add anything new, nor does he offer any solution. The title track "You've Never Seen Everything" has this same quality about evil. His coffeehouse narrative recounts everyday horrors committed by everyday people, but again, there's a stale feel to it. He's said this before, and often through better vehicles (e.g., Grim Travelers, Dancing in Paradise, Down Where the Death Squad Lives). His anger has hardened into a passive bitterness that comes perhaps from seeing too much hopeless misery (as he himself said on "Civilization and its Discontents", too much pathos just makes you angry). If he has any answers, he's not sharing them with us in any substantial way. In short, he emphasizes the Fall at the exclusion of Redemption. Perhaps I am looking for him to offer some expression of redemption, wisdom, and hope even in the face of total depravity, and perhaps that is unfair of me. Bruce Cockburn is at his best when he's personal, reflective, and hopeful. This is where we catch a glimpse of his heart, and it makes the music that much better. My criticisms notwithstanding, it is still a marvelous album.

"In grains of sand and galaxies...In the wounded streets and whispered prayer
The dance is truth and it's everywhere"
These words of the last verse of "Everywhere Dance" perhaps, more than any, express the heart and soul of a man possessed of a muse ranging from the celestial to the visceral. His inspiration is of the cosmos. His words are of the soul. His wrath is of the earth and the injustices and miseries thereof. This long awaited release makes it clear from the get go that Bruce Cockburn will not go quietly. In fact, this collection is comprised of some the most up-beat and quirky music he has performed. In this listener's view, there are two seminal albums in his phenomenally long and prolific career; "Dancing In the Dragon's Jaws" and "The Charity Of Night." Both represent significant shifts in musical direction. This collection well may be the third. This is not to say that he has languished in the mundane during the interludes- though the T Bone Burnet productions sometimes left him somewhat high and dry. The musicianship here is extraordinary, seamlessly transitioning from the high energy, jazz tinged "Trickle Down" to the afore-mentioned ballade "Everywhere Dance" (he later waxing autobiographical). Demean or embrace the body of work that Bruce Cockburn has produced One cannot deny the dedication and integrity they represent.

Bruce Cockburn is wonderful. Well rounded, Bruce is a sometimes spiritual or a political artist of the highest caliber. He has been recording for over thirty years and STILL going strong. Bruce went to Berklee school of music (1968) and has a real sence of balance.

Bruce has had some lame ducks such as "Dart To The Heart" but this recording is NOT like that. It would be hard to top "Nothing But A Burning Light"('91), Further Adventures of ('78), Humans ('80) or Breakfast in New Orlenes(2001) and I don't think he tries to do that here. Postcards From Cambodia is my favorite piece so far. Bruce has more vocal harmonies on this record than and other I can think of. I would like to here him do an instramental recording AND a collaberation with Bonnie Raitt. We LOVE Bruce! Either way, excellent spin!

If you want to keep hearing a million variations of Rocket Launcher, you are stuck on Bruce for not being 'Christian' enough, his politics annoy you, you don't like to be surprised or even challenged, then look elsewhere. Don't buy Bruce Cockburn's albums, don't listen to his music, and please don't bash him for being who he is.

I like it that he surprises me with all his changes. Everytime I unwrap one of his CDs and tune in, I get something I didn't expect. Bruce is truly original, and he has had staying power through the last three decades because he keeps changing. He hasn't become the peddler of a stale product. And for those who don't like his 'anger', well anger is one of many human emotions. There's a lot to be angry about and Bruce has traveled the world; he's seen it. If you anger-aversive listeners listen a little deeper you will also find doubt, gentleness and truth. And lots of love. Bruce Cockburn is amazing. He is able to take tremendous anger, pain and suffering and transform it into love songs about life. What more can you ask for?

So forgive him if in his musical and personal exploration he doesn't always hit the highest notes, always creating masterpieces. He does it enough that it keeps me coming back for more. I thought "Charity of Night" couldn't be topped. But Bruce did something very different in "You've Never Seen Everything". It's appropriate to the time he wrote the songs. Look at the dates. It's still appropriate as are all his songs. I love Bruce Cockburn's music and admire his courage as a musician. If you want something simple, listen to the radio.

'You've Never Seen Everything' is a hard album to review. The 27th album in a verstaile and still fruitful career expanding for more than 30 years now, cockburn still remains the same prolific and mesmerising artist he used to be. He teams up with Tom Wait's rhythm section and Hugh Marsh joins him on the violin whereas Jackson Browne handles the backing vocals of 'Celestial Horses'. The album may be a hard one to digest but the fans will find it more and more appealinf after various listens. 'Open' is a very optimistic and moody song with Cockburn exploring himself on bright lyrics. He Sings:"I never live in Balance, I always wake up nervous...". 'Don't Forget About Delight' and 'Messenger Winds' are other highlights. 'Postcards from Cambodia' is a continuation of 'Isn't That What Friends Are For?' successfully performed here with cockburn masterfully reciting over a moody melody. 'Wait No More' is a world-music piece that combines melodic eastern rhythms with his ever surprising lyrics. As George Garaham noted in his review the only downfall of the CD is its recording quality. It will disturb the listener a lot. Almost like recent Peter Gabriel CD's. Overall the album is a must for any fan and my congratulations to Bruce Cockburn for his magical efforts. Thumbs Up!