What do you expect from a band that has been together for 20 years and released 11 studio recordings? If you've answered "more of the same," then, in Blue Rodeo's case, you'd be exactly right. Small Miracles is upbeat light-country-meets-soft-rock that oscillates between Greg Keelor's Band-esque style and Jim Cuddy's love-leaning lyrics, just like the bulk of their other ten CDs. "I held you but you held back from me," sings Keelor on the country-meets-bluegrass track, "Blue House," yet another take on love-gone-wrong but especially effective in his well-written wrought style. Keelor's gravelly voice on "It Makes Me Wonder" is so powerful and timeless, it could easily have been written by Dylan or The Band on the grassy hills of Woodstock. That song is one of a number of tracks (along with the aptly titled "Beautiful" and the funky bridge of "So Far Away") that showcases the amazing skills of newest member, keyboardist Bob Packwood, whose bluesy-soulful ivory tickling enhances every track he appears on. Although the group's most famous hit to date, "Try" (from 1987's Outskirts), features Cuddy on vocals, Small Miracles' top moments consistently seem to come from the mouth of Keelor, whose deep emotions and complex songwriting tendencies make for far more memorable lyrics and melodies than Cuddy's lighter and fluffier fare. --Denise Sheppard