''Nothing but a Burning Light'' is an album by Canadian singer/songwriter Bruce Cockburn. It was released in 1991 by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

Reception

In a retrospective review,

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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''." ''

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'' called the album the finest of Cockburn's career, writing that he "has returned to a simpler, more reflective folk-rock mode." ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference to ...

'' 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 Blind Willie Johnson (January 25, 1897 – September 18, 1945) was an American gospel blues singer, guitarist and evangelist. His landmark recordings completed between 1927 and 1930—thirty songs in total—display a combination of powerful "ch ...

, 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 Larry Klein (born March 17, 1956) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is based in Los Angeles. He began his career as a bassist, playing with jazz artists Willie Bobo, Freddie Hubbard, Carmen McRae, Joe Henderson, Bobby ...

– 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 Joseph Henry "T Bone" Burnett III (born January 14, 1948) is an American record producer, guitarist and songwriter. He rose to fame as a guitarist in Bob Dylan's band during the 1970s. He has received multiple Grammy awards for his work in film ...

– electric guitar (track 5), acoustic guitar (track 7) *

Jackson Browne Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 18 million albums in the United States. Emerging as a precocious teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he h ...

– 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 Anton Johannes Gerrit Corbijn van Willenswaard (; born 20 May 1955) is a Dutch photographer, film director and music video director. He is the creative director behind the visual output of Depeche Mode and U2,Pitman, Joanna"The silent partner"' ...

– photography

References

{{Authority control 1991 albums Bruce Cockburn albums Albums produced by T Bone Burnett True North Records albums