1 |
Rather
Lovely Thing |
2 |
Moving
On |
3 |
Song For Jesse |
4 |
Falling |
5 |
Cowgirl |
6 |
The Money Train |
| 7 |
What Must Be Done |
8 |
Another
Rather Lovely Thing |
9 |
Carnival |
10 |
Last
Ride Back To KC |
11 |
What
Happens Next |
12 |
Destined
For Great Things |
13 |
Counting
The Stars |
14 |
Song
For Bob |
ALBUM REVIEW:
Judging from the stills we have received for this movie which
won Mr. Brad Pitt a best actor award at the recent Venice
Film Festival, it sure looks like one serious Western drama
filled with strong sentiments and emotional upheavals. And
how apt for composers Nick Cave and Warren Ellis to come up
with an intense score which complements the grave movie.
The
43-minute soundtrack album provides for a very somber listening
experience without any trace of joy or elation. If you are
in a depressed mood, you probably won’t want to pop
this disc in your player.
Cave,
who was born in Australia and best known for his rock band
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, partners with Ellis from The
Dirty Three and the Grinderman to produce this string-heavy
score featuring violins, violas, cellos and basses which are
layered together to some very poignant effect.
The
most moving cue “Song For Bob” gradually allows
each instrument to take the limelight during its six-minute
runtime. With the brooding string accompaniments, the instrument
that will affect you most is the lonely solo piano which strikes
you with it high octaves. It’s difficult not to feel
down listening to the repetitive 10-note motif of this track.
This may just be one of the most touching tracks on any soundtrack
album we have heard this year.
Elsewhere,
wallow yourself in more powerful and solemn music composed
by the duo with tracks like “Rather Lovely Thing”,
“Falling” and “What Must Be Done”.
If you are listening out for something different, you’d
hear it in “Song For Jesse”, where a celeste and
piano tinkle some very lightweight notes to hypnotic effect.
There’s also “Cowgirl”, which is the cue
which sounds most like a Western soundtrack music piece with
its lengthy string-pulling.
The
two composers have previously worked on The
Proposition (2005), another Western set in Australia,
and their chemistry shows here: Their latest work is a collection
of gripping and forceful music will ultimately find its way
into your memory – just that they probably won’t
be cheery ones. In some cases, you may even feel a drop of
tear rolling down your eyes – yes, such is the power
of heartbreaking music like this.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: (14) Song For Bob
Review
by John Li
|
