Life Short Call Now
Life Short Call Now is the 23rd studio album by Canadian singer/songwriter Bruce Cockburn. It was released in 2006 by True North Records. The album featured a 27-piece string section and guest appearances by Ron Sexsmith, Ani Difranco and Hawksley Workman on backing vocals.
Reception
In a review for AllMusic, critic Thom Jurek wrote, "Those who have followed his career over the past four decades wondered where he would go next, or indeed if there was anywhere he could go. The question has been answered in spades on Life Short Call Now... Life Short Call Now is absent of metonymy or metaphor; it reports from the inside what is, and what should never be with balance, as well as yearning for convergence." Michael Keefe of PopMatters wrote Cockburn "continues to grow as an artist and to remain relevant as an observer of this rickety old world in which we live." and summarized there are "several standout songs on Life Short, but a few lackluster tracks keep the album just beyond the reach of the upper echelon of Bruce Cockburn releases."Track listing
- "Life Short Call Now" – 5:32
- "See You Tomorrow" – 4:20
- "Mystery" – 5:50
- "Beautiful Creatures" – 5:09
- "Peace March" – 3:32
- "Slow Down Fast" – 3:39
- "Tell the Universe" – 5:14
- "This Is Baghdad" – 6:21
- "Jerusalem Poker" – 5:33
- "Different When It Comes to You" – 2:50
- "To Fit in My Heart" – 6:06
- "Nude Descending a Staircase" – 4:23
Personnel
- Bruce Cockburn – vocals, guitars
- Gary Craig – drums, percussion
- David Piltch – acoustic and electric bass
- Julie Wolf – piano, harmonium, wurlitzer, Fender Rhodes, B3, accordion, melodica
- Jonathan Goldsmith – celeste, glockenspiel, maikotron, piano, Fender Rhodes
- Kevin Turcotte – flugelhorn, trumpet
- Ron Sexsmith – background vocals
- Hawksley Workman – background vocals
- Damhnait Doyle – background vocals
- Ani Difranco – background vocals
- Julie Wolf – background vocals
- String Orchestra:
- Cellos: Maurizio Baccante, Roman Borys, Matt Brubeck, David Hetherington, John Marshman, Paul Widner, Winona Zelenka
- Basses: Roberto Occhipinti, Charles Elliot
- Dan Parr – score preparation
- Jeff McMurrich – string [recording engineer
- Dennis Patterson – assistant string recording engineer
- Pete Lawlor – assistant string recording engineer