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True North Records3.5
O Sun O Moon
Bruce Cockburn, vocals and guitar
True North Records, 2023
O Sun O Moon marks Bruce Cockburn’s 37th album, an incredible feat for any musician. While some of the songs on this new release serve as a reminder of why Cockburn is considered among Canadian folk-music greats, others suggest he is aiming for quantity over quality.
The guitar in O Sun O Moon is naturally where his writing shines most. Cockburn turns even the simplest chord progressions and rhythms into wonderfully transfixing experiences, most noticeable in Haiku – Instrumental. He pairs his distinct lyricism with varied vocal performances to tell a series of compelling stories. On King of the Bolero, his signature gravelly voice and a spoken-word singing style depict a shady, slimy, over-the-top caricature. O Sun by Day O Moon by Night, meanwhile, is an impassioned exploration of death and moving on, in which Cockburn uses a high vocal register to deliver the chorus with strength and emotional intensity.
Most of his singing falls between these two songs in terms of intensity, however, which is where the album falls short, as it ultimately feels slow and one-note. Although some songs feature violins, a brass section, and backing vocals, they don’t spice things up enough to disrupt the album’s overall mellow quality.
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Francais (French)
