Bruce Cockburn is not the retiring type.   At the age of 78 he just released a most remarkable album.   O SUN O MOON - 12 songs of reverie, meditation, introspection and revelation.   An epiphany of a release that so much reminds me of his 1978 album WONDERING WHERE THE LIONS ARE.    Bruce is often referred to as a singer/songwriter  and his music encompasses rock, folk and blues.   I've only had the pleasure to see him live once.   It was a memorable experience.

There are several standout tracks (so far - after only one listen)  on this new recording.  The first one I include here is "Orders"   a listing of all types of people, the loved and the unloveable, with the regular refrain "... our orders said to love them all."    When one thinks of what seems to be increasing social, political, judicial and cultural polarity that seems to be growing like a cancer around the world this song has the ability to say wait-a-minute there's more....  Here in the early 21st century when everyone thinks there way is more right than the other person - even in the name of religion (jihadists, evangelicals, catholics etc) one thing remains for a person of faith; our orders from so many religious texts is to love them all.   And though we live in a time where that seems increasingly difficult to do we must (I MUST) make the effort to love not only the lovable but also those I would curse.  
An exercise:   make a list of all the things/people that irritate, annoy, anger you.   Then think about it - these are what you must love. 

The 3rd track on the album is also a standout.  "Push Comes To Shove" is a meditation on what may be, what is and what will be.   A lilting melody with the refrain, "...when push comes to shove it's all about love..." It invites us to consider that when push comes to shove we need to stop and take a minute to consider our options.     Don't just react impulsively.    Coming from a 78 year old person who has lived a long life - this song (and in fact the entire album) is a musing on all the choices we must make and offers advice to the young who are often caught up in the moment.   About half way through the song,  the bluesy violin of Jenny Sheinman offers a wonderful bittersweet break allowing the lyrical ideas to sink in. 

The next song I want to feature here is a wonderful character study.   "King Of The Bolero" is a beautiful song  description of a musician in a lilting bolero style enhanced.  In addition to Cockburn's signature guitar style there is also a wonderful accordion which creates a very strong atmosphere of an Argentinian smoke-filled tango bar.     The songwriter takes the role of the listener and viewer here and describes what he hears and then sees.  One has the sense that the songwriter is amazed at this magical moment/experience he is witnessing.    A delightful empathetic, picturesque musical pastiche.  Enjoy. 

The last song I want to feature is actually track #11 and the title track of the album.   At the age of 78, and possibly feeling closer to heaven than ever before, Bruce writes this prayer.   The chorus is a child-like refrain "O sun by day o moon by night, light my way so I get this right, and if that sun and moon don't shine, heaven guide these feet of mine to glory."

This album is a journey starting with a song called "On A Roll", much like life's roller coaster, and ending with track #12 titled "When You Arrive" and the "...dead shall sing and bells will ring when you arrive" at your ultimate destination. 
I strongly encourage you to check out the entire album.    These 4 tracks that I've featured here are just the four that really stood out for me - on first listen.   Based on your life experience you may find different tracks that stand out for you.    In fact when it comes to the music of Bruce Cockburn I have often found that songs that may not "stand out" on first listen or first discovery will reveal them later as my life experience changes.    

At any rate, I hope you found this post interesting and enjoyable.