Nothing but a Burning Light is an album by Canadian singer/songwriter Bruce Cockburn. It was released in 1991 by Columbia Records. The album peaked at number 169 on the ARIA Charts. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
Reception Commercial Nothing but a Burning Light was certified Gold in Canada in 1992. By March 1994, the album had sold at least 79,000 units in the United States.
Critical
The New York Times called the album the finest of Cockburn's career, writing that he "has returned to a simpler, more reflective folk-rock mode." Billboard found the album to be "less angry, though no less passionate than on previous works". They described "Cry of a Tiny Babe" as a song that "eloquently" showcases Cockburn's Christian beliefs. Billboard also characterized the production as "stark and dark" on some of the album's instrumentals, including "Kit Carson" and "Mighty Trucks of Midnight".
In a retrospective review, AllMusic critic Brett Hartenbach wrote of the album: "Throughout, Burnett's production is understated, allowing Cockburn's voice, guitar, and songs to lead the way over a solid foundation of bass, drums, and tasteful organ by Booker T. Jones. This sort of sympathetic production brings out the best in Cockburn and his material, which is consistently strong... Though it may lack the immediate power, Nothing but a Burning Light is Bruce Cockburn's best since his 1984 release Stealing Fire." Trouser Press wrote that the album "contains some of Cockburn's best loved songs ('A Dream Like Mine', 'Great Big Love') but falls a notch or two below great."
Track listing All songs written by Bruce Cockburn, except where noted. "A Dream Like Mine" – 3:53 "Kit Carson" – 4:12 "Mighty Trucks of Midnight" – 5:57 "Soul of a Man" (Blind Willie Johnson, arr. Bruce Cockburn) – 3:52 "Great Big Love" – 5:13 "One of the Best Ones" – 6:57 "Somebody Touched Me" – 4:16 "Cry of a Tiny Babe" – 7:31 "Actions Speak Louder" – 3:01 "Indian Wars" – 6:58 "When It's Gone, It's Gone" – 4:19 "Child of the Wind" – 4:08
Personnel Bruce Cockburn – electric guitar (tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11), acoustic guitar (5, 6, 10), resonator guitar (tracks 4, 12) and vocals Booker T. Jones – organ (tracks 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12) Jim Keltner – drums (tracks 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8), percussion (track 2), washboard (track 4) Edgar Meyer – acoustic bass (tracks 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12), bass (track 11) Larry Klein – bass (tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9) Michael Been – bass (tracks 2, 4, 6, 8) Denny Fongheiser – drums (tracks 1, 5, 7, 9) Michael Blair – percussion (tracks 1, 5, 11), tambourine (track 7) Ralph Forbes – percussion (tracks 1, 5, 9, 11) Mark O'Connor – violin (tracks 6, 10, 11, 12) Sam Phillips – backing vocals (tracks 1, 5, 8) T Bone Burnett – electric guitar (track 5), acoustic guitar (track 7) Jackson Browne – backing vocals (tracks 5, 10), resonator guitar (track 10)
Production T Bone Burnett – producer Joe Henry – production assistant Pat McCarthy – engineer, mixer Dave Leonard – mixer (track 1) Paula "Max" Garcia – second engineer Chris Austopchuk – art direction Anton Corbijn – photography
References