Cockburn at his bittersweet best

Anything, Anytime, Anywhere: Singles 1979-2002\nBruce Cockburn\nRounder Records\nTo celebrate the signing of critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn to a multi-album contract, Rounder Records is launching a campaign to re-release 18 of Cockburn's albums, all digitally remastered.\nThe Cambridge, Mass.-based company also recently released Anything Anytime Anywhere: Singles 1979-2002, a best-of CD compiled by Colin Linden and Cockburn himself. Although spotty in places, overall the album represents a good introduction to the catalog of this intense artist.\nThe CD contains the top-40 hit "Wondering Where the Lions Are" from 1979's Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws, as well as a new single, "My Beat," featuring Patti Griffin on background vocals. And 2001's "Anything Anytime Anywhere" features backing vocals by the Fairfield Four (of "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" Fame).\nAt its best, Cockburn's music is both bitingly caustic and sublimely beautiful. On 1985's "Call It Democracy," Cockburn conjures up musical images of latter-day Bryan Ferry/Roxy Music while taking a lyrical stab at Reagan-era politics.\nAnd on "If I Had a Rocket Launcher," a minor hit from 1984 that was partially written in war-torn Chiapas, Mexico, Cockburn seethes with anger against dire wrongs. "If I had a rocket launcher," he sings, "some son of a bitch would die."\nBut perhaps the album's best track is 1996's "Pacing the Cage," a hushed cut featuring Cockburn's steady but emotional voice and quiet acoustic guitar. The song takes a retrospective glance back, perhaps over his life and his career. "I never knew what you all wanted," he sings with resignation, "so I gave you everything."\nThe weakest songs on the album -- "The Trouble with Normal" and "Lovers in a Dangerous Time" -- are the ones that feature heavy keyboards and sound too much like they were produced in the '80s (which they were, but there are some things about that decade that weren't great).\nBut in general, Anything Anytime Anywhere: Singles 1979-2002, is a solid compilation from an accomplished artist entering a new phase of his career. At times it's softly sweet, at other times it's wonderfully bitter -- the right mix for any good singer-songwriter.\n

\n\n