Life Short Call Now (2006)

Known for his honeyed voice, nimble fretwork, and smart wordplay, Canadian Bruce Cockburn employs all this — plus glockenspiel, flugelhorn, and Ani DiFranco — on his 29th album. From the romantically hopeful ''Mystery'' to the anxious ''Beautiful Creatures'' (swollen with exquisite melancholy and a 23-piece string orchestra) to the Bush-bashing ''This Is Baghdad,'' Life Short Call Now is split between pro-love and antiwar songs. Cockburn explores their shared urgency (plus some jazzy instrumentals), which makes for a choppy, though often gorgeously scenic, ride.