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- Summary: Inspired by a trip to China, Cowboy Junkies' new release--the first of a four-part series--captures their ability for innovate song arrangement while capturing the color of another culture through music.
- Record Label: Razor & Tie
- Genre(s): Indie, Rock, Alternative
- More Details and Credits »
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Positive: 5 out of 7
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Mixed: 2 out of 7
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Dec 21, 2010Two excellent covers and guest vocals by popular Chinese rock singer Zuoxiao Zuzhou complete this musical communion between two distinct cultures.
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Much is packed into this 50-minute head trip: there's the Junkies' signature bluesy, lean melancholy; collages of field recordings Timmins made of daily life in Chinese towns; songs and performances by two of the Chinese rock musicians that Timmins came to admire; and, of course, the ethereal vocals of his sister Margo Timmins.
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MojoA love story between East and West; between Michael Timmins and China. [Nov. 2010, p. 110]
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The Junkies have crafted a song cycle that at first glance seems at odds with their rootsy Great White North Americana, but as it turns out, modern Chinese culture has inspired the veteran Canadian outfit to create one its best and most fascinating collections to date.
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Renmin Park, the first in a planned four-part series of recordings to be released over the next 18 months, continues on the same proud, artistic creative path.
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Q MagazineDec 20, 2010Not all of it works, but after all these years it's good to hear the band trying something different, while still accommodating the beautifully mournful signature vocals of Timmin's sister, Margo. [Dec 2010, p.104]
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Dec 22, 2010As a 14-track long Cowboy Junkies album, it's a fascinating if slightly flawed experiment.