Cowboy Junkies, The

As the name implies, Cowboy Junkies fabricate music that is emotive, somnolent and infused with a somber, country-tinged sweetness and angst. The purveyors of this unique musical amalgamation are a quartet of Canadians, featuring the synergy of the brothers-and-sister team of Margo (vocals), Peter (drums) and Michael Timmins (guitar), completed by non-related bassist Alan Anton. Margo's appealingly languid vocals and the band's penchant for achingly reworked songs, including Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane" and Patsy Cline's "Walking After Midnight," have earned Cowboy Junkies a loyal core of fans, plus loads of critical kudos.