Burton Cummings – A Few Good Moments (Album Review)

With so many excellent Rock-n-Roll bands emerging during the late ’60s, one that does not get nearly as much credit as they deserve is The Guess Who. With roots that date back to 1962, following some lineup and name changes, the Canadian Rock band would hit a stride by the latter part of the decade, on their way to a huge success around the world. A period where songs like 1969’s “These Eyes,” “No Time,” “Laughing,” and “Undun,” followed by 1970’s “American Woman” were massive hits, there was a common denominator in play with it all, Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman. The co-writers on nearly every hit song The Guess Who had, it is no wonder the five years that Cummings and Bachman were both consistently a part of the band is considered their golden era.

A period fans will never forget, Rock-n-Roll historians understand the significance of this time far more than the average listener. That all being said, while Cummings and Bachman’s names have not been attached to The Guess Who for some time, they still have been active together, as well as sole artists, consistently. Looking at Cummings alone, beginning in 1976 with his self-titled debut album, leading into 2008’s Above the Ground, he has released a total of eight studio albums. Continuing to find success along the way, Cummings has also toured extensively and now in 2024 returns with a brand-new collection of songs.

His first studio album in sixteen very long years, the new release entitled A Few Good Moments is available on September 27th via Jojo Productions, and finds Cummings in peak form. Now seventy-six years old, Cummings carefully took his time in assembling a group of songs he felt fit together and said what he wanted to say. Always an exceptional songwriter, he was determined to put together material that conveyed a sense of consciousness that only comes with life experience. With this, he took more than seventeen fully fleshed-out tracks and put them together on what can only be described as a startlingly surprising return.

Sixteen of the seventeen original written/co-written Cummings tunes, except for “Shape I’m In” (originally performed by Arc Angels), what you get is a lively, powerful mix of music. Songs which Cummings has been slaving over for some time now, co-writing partnerships include one track with Jim Vallance (“Up to the Minute”) and two with Guitarist Michael Zweig (“Magic Town” and “Speak To Me”). Each is very well composed and thoughtful, the running theme throughout A Few Good Moments is really about the passage of time. Something Cummings reveals means more to him now than ever, he carefully outlines the world through his eyes. What this means is he gives you thoughtful, introspective lyrics that touch on history, and the present state of humanity presently, but all with a sense of hope that through the mess we have created we can still find our way.

 With so much to dig into, the context of A Few Good Moments is inevitably a driving force, but it should not be understated that the music itself is also quite inspired. A mix between Blues Rock, Country Rock, and straight-up Rock-n-Roll, Cummings strikes a balance that sticks out. As stated, these songs took a bit of time to craft, and it shows. Giving you points to zero in on, it is impossible to overlook the power of the title-track where Cummings speaks about some tragic points in history and navigates through it all. This is while the piano melody of “My Rhythm and My Rhyme” matched with the candid story told by Cummings hits a chord deep inside of you. Beyond this, “Heard It On The News” the 2019 single “Sanity,” and “Arrogance” also drive home a potent message about our missteps as a society. However, you cannot step away from this album without getting lost in the stunning fable-like “Market My Letters.”

Overall, Burton Cummings proves that the time in between releasing music is irrelevant when the end goal is to create the best songs possible. His efforts here are insightful, passionate, and a testament to his songwriting. This is not to mention that his voice sounds as distinct as ever through to the final note. Songs not to pass over, it is also important to mention that after stressful legal battles, Cummings and Bachman recently gained control of The Guess Who name. A bit of news that may result in some exciting announcements, also look out for as he continues along his 60th Anniversary Hits Tour in 2025 with some all-star special guests like Jim Messina and talented Guitarist Solomon Hicks.  Contender for comeback album of the year, Cryptic Rock gives Burton Cummings’ A Few Good Moments 5 out of 5 stars.