Canada's Cowboy Junkies released their landmark LP, The Trinity Session, in 1988. Recorded in the Church of the Holy Trinity, the album would go on to become one of the most popular discs in the alternative music canon. In order to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release, the band returned to the now-historic church to re-record the Trinity Session songs again for a live CD/DVD combo pack called Trinity Revisited. There's always an inherent risk when bands attempt to recreate the sites and sounds of their glory days, but Cowboy Junkies prove to be the exception to the rule.
The hardworking quartet was not content to just rest on their laurels and recreate the past, but instead brought new life to a classic set which includes "Misguided Angel," "Blue Moon Revisited (Song For Elvis)," and their famous cover of the Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane." There was an innocence to the original recording, which was made in record time on a shoestring budget. This time around, the production is first-class, the band is older and wiser, they're better players, and there's a world-weary quality to the set that makes the songs relevant all over again. The original Trinity Session influenced a large range of musicians, and this time around, Cowboy Junkies invited some of those artists, including Ryan Adams and Natalie Merchant, along to join in the celebration.
The resulting live CD and DVD, which also includes a behind-the-scenes documentary featuring the band setting up in the church and talking about the differences between now and then, is vastly entertaining and hauntingly beautiful. Cowboy Junkies could have easily been swept away on waves of nostalgia but instead, they have uncovered new layers and added a richness to the sound that has given music fans a reason to fall in love with them and The Trinity Session all over again.
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