''Big Circumstance'' is the sixteenth full-length album by Canadian singer/songwriter

Bruce Cockburn Bruce Douglas Cockburn ( ; born May 27, 1945) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist. His song styles range from folk to folk- and jazz-influenced rock to soundscapes accompanying spoken stories. His lyrics reflect interests in spirit ...

. The album was released in 1989 by

True North Records True North Records is a Canadian independent record label. History True North Records was founded in Mississauga, Ontario in 1969 by Bernie Finkelstein. By 1971, True North was producing albums for various Canadian musicians, including Bruce Co ...

Rounder Records Rounder Records is an independent record label founded in 1970 in Somerville, Massachusetts, by Marian Leighton Levy, Ken Irwin, and Bill Nowlin. Focused on American roots music, Rounder's catalogue of more than 3000 titles includes records by A ...

issued a

remaster A remaster is a change in the sound or image quality of previously created forms of media, whether Mastering (audio), audiophonic, Cinematography, cinematic, or Videography, videographic. The resulting product is said to be remastered. The term ...

ed CD of the album in 2005 with a new acoustic version of "If a Tree Falls" as a

bonus track An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track or cassette), or digital. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century a ...

Reception

In his retrospective review for

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

, critic Rob Caldwell wrote the album "was a move away from the somewhat dated, overblown sound of his previous World of Wonders, toward a leaner, more guitar-dominated sound... he takes pains to differentiate himself from right-wing Christianity and express his different view of the faith."

Track listing

All songs written by Bruce Cockburn. #"If a Tree Falls" – 5:43 #"Shipwrecked at the Stable Door" – 3:38 #"Gospel of Bondage" – 5:45 #"Don't Feel Your Touch" – 4:49 #"Tibetan Side of Town" – 6:59 #"Understanding Nothing" – 4:26 #"Where the Death Squad Lives" – 4:28 #"Radium Rain" – 9:22 #"Pangs of Love" – 5:18 #"The Gift" – 6:04 #"Anything Can Happen" – 4:31 The 2005 reissue also contains an acoustic version of ''If A Tree Falls''.

Personnel

*Bruce Cockburn – composer, vocals, guitar, harmonica *Fergus Jamison Marsh – bass, Chapman Stick * Hugh Marsh – violin * Jon Goldsmith – keyboards, autoharp *Michael Sloski – drums, percussion *Myron Schultz – clarinet *Judy Cade – background vocals *

Mary Margaret O'Hara Mary Margaret O'Hara is a Canadian singer-songwriter, actress and composer. She is best known for the album ''Miss America'', released in 1988. She released two albums and an EP under her own name, and remains active as a live performer, as a con ...

– background vocals *Mose Scarlett – background vocals

Production

*Jon Goldsmith – producer *George Whiteside – photography *Bart Schoales – art direction

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1988 albums Bruce Cockburn albums True North Records albums