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Bruce
Cockburn -
"The Charity of
Night" Demonstrates the Grace by Jeffrey Overstreet Bruce Cockburn's been taking a long hard look at life and the world around him through two decades of songwriting, and in his opinion, the picture's not getting any prettier. "The Charity of Night" is Cockburn's most poetic, graceful, and heartbreaking vision, carried on contemplative vocals and inspired guitar stylings. In "The Mines of Mozambique", the land mines of a forgotten war prove to be very much alive, and the spectre of those dark days loom over current events. In the title cut, shady dealings and secret crimes are prevalent in the surrounding darkness, and there is an appeal to grace for shelter. In "Pacing the Cage", Cockburn confesses a restlessness in this life, a longing to break free of the confinements and limitations that so burden him. And throughout, the voice of love is Christ's voice, full of sorrow and longing - "And look, see my tears/ they fill the whole night sky." This is certainly Cockburn's most serious album, painted in melancholy tones, often disturbing, with rare glimmers of hope. He never lets up the pressure; there's no "Tie Me at the Crossroads" or "The Laugh of Love" on this record. His guitar playing is delicate and impassioned as always. With the exception of the thunderous, climactic "Strange Waters", the album consists primarily of simple folk and blues guitar enhanced with restrained electric guitar hooks and... vibes! Patient, continuous listens will reveal "The Whole Night Sky" and "Live On My Mind" (with supporting vocals from Bonnie Raitt) to be among Cockburn's most beautiful compositions. And again, he has found support that enhances the songs, most notably in the harmonies of Ani DiFranco in "Get Up Jonah", who plays the part held by Sam Phillips in his last three albums. Listeners' responses to this album will vary, largely because of the singer's occasional softspoken monologues. If these hushed monolgues do not distract, and the listener is drawn into the haunting poetry, the songs are even more effective and interesting than if they had been sung. On the other hand, this kind of thing may strike listeners as pretentious and out of place. Personally, I find Cockburn's poetry spellbinding, spoken or sung. In these places, Cockburn quietly shares his own contemplations and dreams, or he sketches the faint outlines of a scene, keeping just enough distance to communicate the sinister events without indulging in graphic details. The power of these stories is as much in what the teller holds back as what he describes. Those blurred lines and mysterious spaces between images will keep the listener guessing. I would guess that the mysteries and unanswered questions, as well as the profoundity of his spiritual musings and the artistry of his guitar playing, will cause "The Charity of Night" to linger long in the memory.
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