Cowboy Junkies

While the Canadian-bred Cowboy Junkies are known the world over for their slow, brooding and, frankly, depressing north-of-the-border tales, every now and again they catch you off guard by plugging in and cranking up. Margo Timmons' spare vocal style has provided the necessary haunting element for the Junkies throughout their 15-plus year career, while accordion, brushes on the snare, and gently strummed acoustic guitar serve as the backbone of this quartet's dark musical identity. Their eleventh proper album, One Soul Now was released in 2004. In 2006, the Junkies released a commemorative art book to mark their 20th anniversary. The following year, they released At the End of Paths Taken.