Rating: NNNN
A distinct sense of impending doom overshadows much of the material on You’ve Never Seen Everything, conjured by Bruce Cockburn’s painstakingly detailed lyrical reportage of dark political realities (Postcards From Cambodia tracks the repercussions of historical strife the Reaganomics-quoting Trickle Down addresses wealth and greed) that would seem unbearably didactic if the songs weren’t so powerful. Spoken-word tracks, eerie guitar runs and world music influences add layers to Cockburn’s stripped-down roots folk, as do a dead-on rhythm section (Tom Waits cronies Larry Taylor and Stephen Hodges) and simply gorgeous backing vocals from the likes of Emmylou Harris and Sarah Harmer. A great accomplishment.
