This came out in 2003 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
WHAT KIND OF MUSIC DO THEY PLAY? Twangy roots-rock, thoughtful folk-pop and shimmering alt-country — the sort of combination you’d expect from this Canadian roots supergroup led by former Junkhouse leader Tom Wilson, bluesman Colin Linden and folksinger Stephen Fearing.
WHERE ARE THEY FROM? Fearing was born in Vancouver, Wilson hails from Hamilton and Linden is a Torontonian. But individually and collectively, they’ve criss-crossed the country enough times to make them honourary citizens of every city in the land.
HOW DOES THIS SOUND? For a beast with three heads, Blackie & The Rodeo Kings seem to be of one mind. Despite their differing musical backgrounds and styles, Linden, Fearing and Wilson check their egos at the door and play nice on the hour-long BARK, seamlessly merging their talents and sharing the spotlight on 14 cuts that bring to mind a very different trio of talents — John Hiatt and Gram Parsons jamming with Bruce Cockburn. If two heads really are better than one, BARK proves three heads may be best of all.
