Reviewed by Tony Cummings

As any Cockburn buff will know, the Canadian songsmith is an absolute maestro of the guitar and this collection of previously recorded tracks and brand new instrumentals is a thrilling aural experience from start to finish. The new cuts on the album include "Elegy", delightfully picked on the dobro, and the dazzling "End Of All Rivers" where use of echo allows the virtuoso to harmonise with the melody as it progresses to breathtaking effect. Then there is a dazzling piece of blues titled "King Kong Goes To Tallahassee". If these gems weren't enough you've got marvellous selections from his vast back catalogue like the eerie "Islands In A Black Sky" and the cascading "Water Into Wine" from the '70s through to the dreamy ambient 'Mistress Of Storms" from the '90s. There's even a piece, "Rouler Sa Bosse", inspired by gypsy jazz maestro Django Reinhardt and "Rise And Fall", a rarity only previously available on the Japanese edition of 1999's 'Breakfast In New Orleans, Dinner In Timbuktu'. Wherever you look on this album you'll find emotive, delightfully executed music which, if there were any justice, will establish Bruce on the world stage as one of the GREAT guitarists.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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