In the late 80's, the Cowboy Junkies were cast in shocking contrast to the noisy grunge of the day. You could hear a pin drop on their American debut, The Trinity Sessions, and somehow the eerie quiet never got boring. Singer Margo Timmons ' reverse charisma and shy beauty didn't hurt; neither did their choice of covers (Hank Williams, Lou Reed). The next album, The Caution Horses, relied more on originals and suffered for it. They've continued to make good records (especially Pale Horse Crescent Moon), but what was once novel is now teetering on the precipice of shtick. Studio: Selected Recordings 1985-1994 (now out-of-print) is a well-chosen overview, as is the more recent Best Of The Cowboy Junkies.