Despite the general laissez- faire of the newest release from the Cowboy Junkies, Miles From Our Home is the most uptempo release the band has crafted yet. Mixing laconic country and rock into a sasparilla sure to please those folks down at the saloon, frontwoman Margot Timmons' vocals are reserved and often sound almost apologetic. It's like someone shoved her onstage during Karaoke and she can't wait to get off.

The album's title track is as rocking as the Junkies get, settling into a comfortable groove (sort of like the sitcom "Coach" did in its latter years). The driving "New Dawn Coming" mixes new age mysticism with swirling keyboards and crudded guitars, which is a big step for the band, as they've rarely arranged such elaborate instrumentation in the past.

The bigger Junkies sound is courtesy of their production cohort, John Leckie, whose previous experience lies in working with big- time British bands such as XTC, the Fall, the Stone Roses, the Verve, Spiritualized, and Radiohead. Leckie brings his perfected live sound to the table, as well as some great etherial reverb techniques.

Many of the songs on Miles From Our Home show the band in a somewhat experimental phase, utilizing new arrangements and even tribal rhythm patterns, and austere grooves that replicate a march down the trail of tears. So if this Americana sound is picking up steam, as has been suggested, the Cowboy Junkies might consider a round with Old Lady Rehab. They could be in for a long and fruitful ride.

-Lang Whitaker