Bruce Cockburn - Dancing in the Dragons Jaws (10 tracks) +Album Reviews

A High Water Mark Remastered Brilliantly

o dubhthaigh | north rustico, pei, canada | 12/03/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Make no mistake about it, if you were to own only one Bruce Cockburn CD in your life, it ought to be this one. The sophistication of the guitar work, the tunes themselves, the French and English lyrics presented Bruce on the cusp of a lot of transitions, and while he may have been dancing in the dragon's jaws, he also produced the most compellngly engaged music spiritually of his career. This is the moment of his big bang, and what a moment of creation it was, and still is. The extra track adds to the ambience of the disc, but, frankly, it could have been left off anyway. The original sequence of songs is so strong, that any appendage is no more than that.The remastering is brilliant. It was a brilliant sounding album when it first came out and when it first made the transition to CD. It just keeps getting better.By all means, purchase this disc. I've worn out 4 vinyl versions and 2 other cds, so I can tell you you will return to this often throughout your life."

The Best from a Canadian Master

David Haggard | Kansas City, MO USA | 05/31/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bruce Cockburn has an amazing catalog of songs and albums, but I think without any doubt, most fans would call "Dancing in the Dragon's Jaw" his best work. Although he came close on "Stealing Fire" and some others, this remains the guage by which all others must be judged. The acoustic guitar work is stunning and the poetry of the lyrics outshines the vast majority of songwriters of this or any era.
This recording appeared in the same time frame as Ry Cooder's "Bop til You Drop" , and in many ways I equate these two musicians as Canadian-American counterparts. Each is able to reach the essence of their country's roots as well as exploring the musical styles of various world cultures.
Unless you have lost your soul, you will find something to love about this music."

Still powerful after all these years

kiwimuzo | Auckland, New Zealand | 12/11/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This remains Cockburn's greatest work - standing as a stunning collection of songs, but also as a great sequential album. It contains the typical socio-political commentary found in his other recordings, but also has more than the usual melodic strains to sing along to, and the guitar playing is fantastic. The two extra tracks on this issue are instrumental, and reflect the era of the album well - it's easy to see why Cockburn was voted one of the world's best singer/songwriters so many times over. If you're starting out with Cockburn, get this first, then follow it up with 'Stealing Fire' (similar era, but much more grittily orchestrated), then 'Humans' (some great poetry on this), then perhaps 'Nothing But A Burning Light' (beautiful songs and a more accepting, positive outlook than some of his earlier works). It's a pity he has been described as Canada's best-kept secret - this double-edged term serves to keep him out of the mainstream, where his messages are most keenly needed."

Wondering Where The Christians Are?

Brian E. Erland | Brea, CA - USA | 02/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Whether intended or not, 'Dancing In The Dragon's Jaw' is by far the most overtly Christian of all Bruce Cockburn's albums/CD's. While all his earlier works were also deeply spiritual in content, this album with songs like 'Wondering Where The Lions Are', 'Creation Dawn' and 'No Footprints' seemed to exude the Christian message and finally caught the attention of the Protestant community-at-large. Despite his attempt to dis-associate himself from mainstream evangelical Christianity, this album was an overnight hit with young believers and he was immediately embraced as one of the flock. It was probably this unwanted association with Protestantism that accelerated his departure from the mellow folk roots of his early work to pursue a hard-edged, secular rock sound ever since.

Whatever the case, Christian or otherwise, this -11 track re-issue of the CD (containing 2 unnecessary bonus tracks) is without doubt the most upbeat, joyous collection of songs in the immense and eclectic Cockburn collection.

Highly Recommended!"

Cockburn's best work

David | Atlanta, GA USA | 12/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After 25 years, this album remains my favorite of Cockburn's, and in fact my favorite from any artist. Cockburn's work from other eras is compelling and from time to time even inspired. Dancin' in the Dragon's Jaws, however, reaches a plateau of transcendent perfection that is simply stunning. The songs are beautifully written and fit perfectly in their melodies. (To be honest, some of Cockburn's later poetry seems shoe-horned into the tunes he writes.) The tunes are fleshed out in a rich mix of acoustic guitar, piano, and percussion. Beneath everything is the power of Cockburn's poetry. He is reaching for a deep spiritual vision that is glimpsed "just beyond the range of normal sight" but never fully grasped. The overall effect is both spiritual longing and tranquility. It has never failed that whenever I have shared this album with friends that they have loved it at once and invariably bought a copy for themselves. If you aren't yet a Cockburn fan, this is the place to start."

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	Bruce Cockburn Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws Genres: Folk, Pop, Rock Track Listings (10) - Disc #1 Creation Dream Hills of Morning Badlands Flashback Northern Lights After the Rain Wondering Where the Lions Are Incandescent Blue No Footprints Dawn Music (Bonus Track) Bye Bye Idi (Bonus Track)
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