Cowboy Junkies

Mood music—that’s the category the Cowboy Junkies ought to be placed in. The latest album, One Soul Now, contains the kind of music you plug four quarters in a jukebox for after your significant other dumped your sorry ass, and then slowly awake from a Coors-induced stupor to find yourself in a roadside redneck dive with bearded and tattooed Harley folks (men and women), and you want to kick some ass (or get yours kicked). On the opening title track Margo Timmins sings, “Abandon all those precious things,” and continues on with that sentiment. Her voice seduces on a current of overt sexuality, while brother Michael’s guitar work rocks harder than ever—damn near grunge-like. It’s cross-fusion, country and punk and don’t-go-pissing-me-off-more-than-I-already-am tunes. Also enjoy, for a limited time, the bonus EP CD ’Neath Your Covers featuring cover versions of five tunes, including Bruce Springsteen’s “Thunder Road,” The Cure’s “17 Seconds” and Neil Young’s “Helpless.”