But the Calendar Consensus: Cowboy Junkies

What do Canada’s Cowboy Junkies and Ireland’s U2 have in common?

--They both released albums this year featuring personalized explorations of rock music’s U.S. roots (country and blues, respectively).

--Their albums finished at the top of Calendar’s annual pop music critics poll.

But that’s pretty much where the similarities end.

The Junkies’ “The Trinity Session” is a decidedly “alternative” low-budget affair marked by seductively subdued performances, while U2’s “Rattle and Hum” is a splashily ambitious, star-studded double album tied to a major documentary film of the same name.

But while U2, whose “The Joshua Tree” took first place in last year’s poll, garnered more first-place votes than any other album (three to just one for the Junkies), the Junkies apparently touched more hearts, appearing on the most Top 10 ballots (eight, with U2 and Randy Newman’s “Land of Dreams” both appearing on seven).

A survey of some of the Junkies’ supporters suggested that the album was helped somewhat by its U.S. release late in the year and by the recent local appearance of the band, leaving a fresh, positive impression in the critics’ minds.

The voting this year was diverse, with the 18 voting participants nominating a total of 90 different albums. That wide spread led to a relatively low tally for the top vote-getters, with the Junkies notching but 56 points compared to “The Joshua Tree’s” 1988 tally of 83, when it was named on 9 of 19 ballots.

The individual ballots:

Terry Atkinson:

1. “Irish Heartbeat.”

2. “Tracy Chapman.”

3. “The Trinity Session.”

4. “Lovesexy.”

5. “Fisherman’s Blues.”

6. “Rattle and Hum.”

7. “People,” Hothouse Flowers (Mercury).

8. “Life’s Too Good,” Sugarcubes (Elektra).

9. “Land of Dreams.”

10. “Blue Bell Knoll,” Cocteau Twins (Capitol).

Mike Boehm:

1. “Diesel and Dust.”

2. “The Mona Lisa’s Sister.”

3. “Irish Heartbeat.”

4. “Running,” the Desert Rose Band (MCA).

5. “Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart,” Camper Van Beethoven (Virgin).

6. “Amnesia,” Richard Thompson (Capitol).

7. “Balboa Fun Zone,” the Adolescents (Triple X).

8. “Daydream Nation,” Sonic Youth (Blast First/Enigma).

9. “Prison Bound,” Social Distortion (Restless).

10. “What Up, Dog?” Was (Not Was) (Chrysalis).

Richard Cromelin:

1. “ . . . And Justice For All,” Metallica (Elektra).

2. “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.”

3. “Lovesexy.”

4. “I’m Your Man,” Leonard Cohen (Columbia).

5. “Nothing’s Shocking,” Jane’s Addiction (Warner Bros.).

6. “Rattle and Hum.”

7. “So Good It Hurts” Mekons (Twin/Tone).

8. “Monkey on a Chain Gang,” House of Freaks (Rhino).

9. “Dream of Life,” Patti Smith (Arista).

10. “Hairway to Steven,” B.H. Surfers (Touch and Go).

Janiss Garza:

1. “Nothing’s Shocking,” Jane’s Addiction.

2. “So Far, So Good . . . So What,” Megadeth (Capitol).

3. “House of Lords,” House of Lords (Simmons/RCA).

4. “Lap of Luxury,” Cheap Trick (Epic).

5. “Ghost Stories,” Dream Syndicate (Enigma).

6. “South of Heaven,” Slayer (Def Jam).

7. “The Mona Lisa’s Sister.”

8. “Straight Line Through Time,” Broken Homes (MCA).

9. “Dimension Hatross,” Voivod (Noise/Epic).

10. “Young Man’s Blues,” Rock City Angles (Geffen).

Patrick Goldstein:

1. “What Up Dog?” Was (Not Was).

2. “Short Sharp Shocked,” Michelle Shocked (Mercury).

3. “I’m the Rapper, He’s the Deejay,” D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince (Jive/RCA).

4. “Fisherman’s Blues.”

5. “Memory in the Making,” John Kilzer (Geffen).

6. “Stay Awake,” various (A&M;).

7. “Slow Turning,” John Hiatt (A&M;).

8. “Rattle and Hum.”

9. “Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart,” Camper Van Beethoven.

10. “The Trinity Session.”

Paul Grein:

1. “Brian Wilson,” Brian Wilson (Sire).

2. “Stay Awake,” various.

3. “Tracy Chapman.”

4. “Old 8 x 10,” Randy Travis. (Warner Bros.).

5. “Simple Pleasures,” Bobby McFerrin (EMI).

6. “Giving You the Best That I’ve Got,” Anita Baker (Elektra).

7. “Time and Tide,” Basia (Epic).

8. “Volume One,” the Traveling Wilburys (Wilbury/Warner Bros.),

9. “Reg Strikes Back,” Elton John (MCA).

10. “Get Here,” Brenda Russell (A&M;).

Steve Hochman:

1. “Fisherman’s Blues.”

2. “Stay Awake,” various.

3. “Land of Dreams.”

4. “The Trinity Session.”

5. “I’m Your Man,” Leonard Cohen.

6. “Notes From the Lost Civilization,” Tonio K. (What?/A&M;).

7. “Amnesia,” Richard Thompson.

8. “Gladsome, Humour and Blue,” Martin Stephenson & the Dainties (London import).

9. “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.”

10. “Short Sharp Shocked,” Michelle Shocked.

Dennis Hunt:

1. “Lovesexy.”

2. “Simple Pleasures.” Bobby McFerrin.

3. “Introspective.” Pet Shop Boys (EMI).

4. “Roll With It,” Steve Winwood (Virgin).

5. “My Gift to You,” Alexander O’Neal (Tabu/Epic).

6. “It Takes Two,” Rob Base & D.J. E-Z Rock (Profile).

7. “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.”

8. “Let It Bee,” Voice of the Beehive (PolyGram).

9. “ . . . And Justice For All,” Metallica.

10. “New World,” Karla Bonoff (Gold Castle).

Connie Johnson:

1. “Tracy Chapman.”

2. “Conscience,” Womack & Womack (Island).

3. “Conscious Party,” Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers (Virgin).

4. “CK,” Chaka Khan (Warner Bros.).

5. “Get Here,” Brenda Russell.

6. “Don’t Be Cruel,” Bobby Brown (MCA).

7. “Simple Pleasures,” Bobby McFerrin.

8. “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark,” Robert Cray (Mercury).

9. “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.”

10. “It Takes Two,” Rob Base & D.J. E-Z Rock.

Craig Lee:

1. “The Trinity Session.”

2. “Conscience,” Womack & Womack.

3. “Daydream Nation,” Sonic Youth (Blast First/Enigma).

4. “Barbed Wire Kisses,” The Jesus and Mary Chain (Reprise).

5. “Tango: Zero Hour,” Astor Piazzola (Pangea).

6. “Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares,” the Bulgarian State Radio and Television Female Choir (Elektra/Nonesuch).

7. “Blue Bell Knoll,” Cocteau Twins.

8. “Shadowland,” K.D. Lang (Sire).

9. “Viva Hate,” Morrisey (Sire).

10. “Gipsy Kings,” Gipsy Kings (Elektra).

Randy Lewis

1. “Irish Heartbeat.”

2. “Diesel and Dust.”

3. “The Complete Million Dollar Quartet Sessions,” Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins (Sun).

4. “The Talking Animals,” T Bone Burnett (Columbia).

5. “Humansville,” Brave Combo (Rounder).

6. “The Trinity Session.”

7. “Shadowman,” Johnny Clegg & Savuka (Capitol).

8. “Extra Napkins,” James Harman Band (Rivera).

9. “Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares,” Bulgarian State Radio and Television Female Vocal Choir.

10. “Tracy Chapman.”

Kristine McKenna:

1. “Dream of Life,” Patti Smith.

2. “The Trinity Session.”

3. “I’m Your Man,” Leonard Cohen.

4. “Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares,” the Bulgarian State Radio and Television Female Choir.

5. “Tender Prey,” Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds (Mute).

6. “Down in the Groove,” Bob Dylan (Columbia).

7. “Life’s Too Good,” the Sugarcubes.

8. “Surfer Rosa,” the Pixies (Rough Trade).

9. “Dustbowl Ballads,” Woody Guthrie (Rounder).

10. “The Best of Ann Peebles,” Ann Peebles (Hi/MCA).

Lori E. Pike:

1. “Rattle and Hum.”

2. “Fisherman’s Blues.”

3. “Union,” Toni Childs (A&M;).

4. “Temple of Low Men,” Crowded House (Capitol).

5. “Slow Turning,” John Hiatt.

6. “Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart,” Camper Van Beethoven.

7. “Land of Dreams.”

8. “Tracy Chapman.”

9. “People,” Hothouse Flowers.

10. “Blue Bell Knoll,” Cocteau Twins.

Steve Pond:

1. “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.”

2. “Daydream Nation,” Sonic Youth.

3. “The Trinity Session.”

4. “I’m Your Man,” Leonard Cohen.

5. “Under the Sun,” Paul Kelly & the Messengers (A&M;).

6. “The Indescribable Wow,” Sam Phillips (Virgin).

7. “Short Sharp Shocked,” Michelle Shocked.

8. “Brand New,” Gary Stewart (Hightone).

9. “Land of Dreams.”

10. “Live and Let Live!” Bobby King and Terry Evans (Rounder).

Duncan Strauss:

1. “Diesel and Dust.”

2. “The Mona Lisa’s Sister.”

3. “Rattle and Hum.”

4. “Tracy Chapman.”

5. “Slow Turning,” John Hiatt.

6. “Amnesia,” Richard Thompson.

7. “Land of Dreams.”

8. “Life’s Too Good,” the Sugarcubes.

9. “Volume One,” Traveling Wilburys.

10. “Monkey on a Chain Gang,” House of Freaks.

Don Waller:

1. “Talk Is Cheap,” Keith Richards (Virgin)

2. “The Mona Lisa’s Sister.”

3. “Lovesexy.”

4. “Green,” R.E.M. (Warner Bros.).

5. “Globe of Frogs,” Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians (A&M;).

6. “Naked,” Talking Heads (Fly/Sire).

7. “Hang Time,” Soul Asylum (A&M;).

8. “Dream of Life,” Patti Smith.

9. “If I Should Fall From Grace With God,” the Pogues (Island).

10. “Fisherman’s Blues.”

Chris Willman:

1. “Rattle and Hum.”

2. “The Talking Animals,” T Bone Burnett.

3. “The Indescribable Wow,” Sam Phillips.

4. “Slow Turning,” John Hiatt.

5. “What Up, Dog?,” Was (Not Was).

6. “Notes from the Lost Civilization,” Tonio K.

7. “Naked,” Talking Heads.

8. “Land of Dreams.”

9. “Brian Wilson,” Brian Wilson.

10. “Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart,” Camper Van Beethoven.

CONSENSUS TOP 10

Albums are awarded 10 points for a first-place vote, nine for second, etc. Right-hand column shows the number of times an LP was named on one of the 18 reviewer’s lists.

No. of Points Lists 1. “The Trinity Session,” Cowboy Junkies (RCA) 56 8 2. “Rattle and Hum,” U2 (Island) 51 7 3. “Tracy Chapman,” Tracy Chapman (Elektra) 47 7 4. “Lovesexy,” Prince (Paisley Park) 40 5 5. “Fisherman’s Blues,” Waterboys (Chrysalis) 36 6 6. “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back,” Public Enemy (Def Jam) 33 6 7. “The Mona Lisa’s Sister,” Graham Parker (RCA) 31 4 8. “Diesel and Dust,” Midnight Oil (Columbia) 29 3 9. (Tie) “Land of Dreams,” Randy Newman (Reprise) 28 7 10. (Tie) “Irish Heartbeat,” Van Morrison and the Chieftains (Mercury) 28 3