Gustavo Santaolalla - Brokeback Mountain [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
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Free Music Notes for Brokeback Mountain [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
Free Music Review: Santaolalla's Perfectly Evocative Score Lifts a Superb Soundtrack to Ang Lee's Masterwork
Hit: 5 Stars
Just as he proved with last year's soundtrack for Walter Salles's "The Motorcycle Diaries", Argentinean composer Gustavo Santaolalla has a seemingly unerring gift for evoking the spirit of a movie without the convenience of the visual element. Director Ang Lee's film version of Annie Proulx's "Brokeback Mountain" is a splendid, deeply felt work, and the accompanying musical score contributes a great deal to the haunting atmosphere of the story. Acoustic guitar-strummed instrumentals alternate effectively with fresh performances of country-western songs, both old and new. The result is not a weepy replication of the story's sadly downbeat themes but a well-rounded compass for the evolution of the movie's plot.
The usual suspects are certainly included here as far as the performers go, but the pieces gain an unusually resonance within the context of the film's soundtrack. Willie Nelson does a heartbreaking take on Bob Dylan's "He Was a Friend of Mine", and Emmylou Harris sings one of Santaolalla's new compositions (with lyrics by Elton John's longtime partner, Bernie Taupin), a wondrously tender ballad called "A Love That Will Never Grow Old", with her trademark purity intact. Rufus Wainwright lends a plaintive, campfire ballad of his own with "The Maker Makes", and he partners effectively with Teddy Thompson on a leisurely cover of Roger Miller's classic, "King of the Road". Thompson solos on another Santaolalla-Taupin song, the sweet, "I Don't Want to Say Goodbye", and Mary McBride does a nice Patsy Cline-like turn on another slow-dance number by Santaolalla, "No One's Gonna Love You Like Me".
The pace quickens with Steve Earle's honky-tonk "The Devil's Right Hand", Jackie Green's two-stepper take on "I Will Never Let You Go", the Gas Band's uncanny impression of the Charlie Daniels Band on "An Angel Went Up in Flames", and perhaps the only throwaway track, Linda Ronstadt's overfamiliar 1974 cover of Buddy Holly's "It's So Easy". Breaking away from his Latin-based rhythms, Santaolalla proves to be a gifted, versatile composer, and even with stellar vocal performances, it is really his instrumental interludes that evoke the poignancy of the story the most. Until the DVD comes out, this CD will help you remember why the movie is so amazing. Read Proulx's short story. See Lee's movie. And then listen to Santaolalla's score. The combination is transcendent.
Free Music Review: The Genius of Film Scoring Is Knowing What Fits, What Enhances
Hit: 5 Stars
So often film scores that utilize songs from a period of time during which the cinema story happened are dismissed as 'non-original' or 'uncreative' or, worse yet, 'plagiarized''! But the charge of a composer assigned to provide music for a film is to support the mood, enhance the plot, identify certain motifs, and in general make the film more powerful without drawing attention to itself. Some film scores are so immediately accessible and beautiful that the audience stops thinking about the story to appreciate the beauty of the music. Yes, that is fine, to a degree, but more credit should go to the score master whose work is so subtle that you simply don't notice it.
The score for BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN is an example of writing music that is noticed in the right moments and unnoticed in others. Gustavo Santaolalla has written some very subtle, almost minimalist music such as 'Opening', 'Snow', 'Brokeback Mountain 1, 2 and 3', 'Riding Horses' and 'The Wings', scored for acoustic guitar, guitar, and strings which underline the loneliness of the Wyoming cowboy and the isolation of the characters longing for each other. The music is lovely and evocative. But Santaolalla also selects well known country western music from the period to use in the bars and festivities, adding some of his own ballads such as 'A Love That Will Never Grow Old', 'No One's Gonna Love You Like Me', 'I Don't Want to Say Goodbye', 'I Will Never Let You Go', and 'An Angel Went Up in Flames' - all with the help from librettists of stature. But he also chose songs like 'He Was A Friend of Mine' by Bob Dylan sung by Willie Nelson and by the time this song happens along in the score the audience is married to the story and it is gentle, quiet moment of tenderness and melancholy greatly enhanced.
All of the vocals included so appropriately on this CD soundtrack are beautifully rendered by some of our best CW talent. But it must be remembered that were it not for Gustavo Santaolalla they would not be included and be as memorably placed as they are in the final cut of the film. Santaolalla is a master composer who puts the story first, and his music in the background, where it grows into our memories of fine films such as this long after the closing credits. Grady Harp, April 06
Free Music Review: An AMAZING soundtrack for an AMAZING movie!
Hit: 5 Stars
Wow!!! This is the first soundtrack I ever bought and the music is the best from start to finish. It really captures the feel of the movie for anyone who did not see it. "He Was a Friend of Mine" is one of Willie Nelson's better songs and very appropriate. I LOVE Emmylou Harris' version of the theme song "A Love That Will Never Grow Old" which won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song. Her voice is so pure, raw and haunting in that tune. Rufus Wainwright gives an interesting version of Roger Miller's "King of the Road." I LOVE Steve Earle's version of "Devil's Right Hand" and the fact that Carmella Ramsey from Patty Loveless' band plays fiddle on that song makes it even better... a great uptempo song. Mary McBride's "No One's Gonna Love You Like Me," Teddy Thompson's "I Don't Want to Say Goodbye" and Jackie Greene's "I Will Never Let You Go" are great ballad/midtempo songs. "An Angel Went Up In Flames" is a GREAT instrumental uptempo performance by The Gas Band. "It's So Easy" is one of my favorite songs on the album and probably my favorite Linda Rondstadt song... gotta love it when she showcases her powerful range in the ending of the song. "Brokeback Mountain 1," "Brokeback Mountain 2" and "Brokeback Mountain 3," respectively have really good transitions in the segments of the movie in which they are shown and they might sound alike but each one follows a different pace. Film Scores "Riding Horses" and "Snow" really put you in the mood of wanting to ride a horse and to go outside and experience snow in the winter respectively, which are really went done. Lastly, "The Wings" is the final score that really tugs at the heartstrings, since it is shown in the movie's saddest scene. Overall, this collection of songs is one of the most powerful soundtracks for one of the most powerful movies I've ever seen. I can listen to this over and over. Definitely a great addition to any music fan's compact disc collection. Overall Rating: 5/5 stars!Free Music Review: Play it again
Hit: 5 Stars
`Brokeback Mountain' is Art and so is the Score by Gustavo. Art for me can be the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo, a tin of beans by Andy Warhol or Brokeback Mountain by Ang Lee with its magnificent soundtrack by Gustavo Santaolalla.
People don't listen to the reviewer G. Kroener just because - if he was indeed a score/soundtrack expert - by this time around he should have the fabulous soundtracks to `21 Grams' or `The Motorcycle Diaries', and stop fooling around with all the same J. Williams scores. And yes I do have `Memoirs Of A Geisha' (and does he have Tan Dun's with Yo-Yo Ma fabulous score for `Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'? - Oscar for Best Score -, obviously not! Look for the differences!). And if he is indeed a score lover why does he not know that the full score is NOT only 13 minutes??!!
And he does not know - either - that Gustavo wrote also 5 fabulous songs:
`A Love That Will Never Grow Old' - Emmylou Harris
`No One's Gonna Love You Like Me' - Mary McBride
`I Don't Want To Say Goodbye' - Teddy Thompson
`I Will Never Let You Go' - Jackie Greene
`An Angel Went Up In Flames' - The Gas Band
The complete score for Brokeback Mountain IS one of those special things that the fans - in wich I'm proudly included - are waiting for. There is in fact a promo CD given to the Academy members for chosing Best Score (was sold in eBay for more than $1.000!). THAT is the complete score. With 22 tracks, 15 new ones not included in this soundtrack.
A good score - at least, for me - must fit the mood of the film. That said, awards, obviously, can be given to composers for the majesty of guitar chords has heard on this perfect combination.
I had played `Brokeback Mountain' Soundtrack a lot since I bought it in December. And will keep playing it again and again...
Free Music Review: An ethereal soundtrack, to an exquisitely beautiful film
Hit: 5 Stars
I first saw the movie on its limited premiere here in NYC, initially thinking the soundtrack was good but not great (i.e. on the level of Morricone's soundtrack to Cinema Paradiso). Maybe it was my unfamiliarity with country music, or the annoying, distracting viewers immediately surrounding me...
But Mary McBride's moving on-screen performance of "No One's Gonna Love You Like Me" compelled me to check out the soundtrack.
I've seen the movie again since listening to the music, and the soundtrack's definitely heightened my appreciation of the beauty of the film. Gustavo Santaollala's score is ethereal and sublime, its "brevity" making it ever more precious. By the way, he also wrote or co-wrote the country/folk lyrics sung by Emmylou Harris, Mary McBride and Teddy Thompson... truly an amazing talent!
HOWEVER, Teddy Thompson's incredibly moving, lyrical ballad "I Don't Want to Say Goodbye" was way too brief on screen and wholly washed over by the dialogue (rather, monologue) between Gyllenhaal and his incessantly motor-mouthed neighbor in the dance scene... what a shame! I'd be surprised if any viewers will even recall hearing this gorgeous piece during that scene, which only seemed to serve as an interlude of comic relief in the movie. My vote for the best selection from the soundtrack and nearly worthy of buying it alone.
I also agree that Linda Ronstadt's song "It's So Easy" is disruptive and breaks from the unity of the soundtrack. Instead, the Allman Brothers' "Sweet Melissa," which got more significant air time in the movie, should have taken it's place in the soundtrack.
Overall, though, a moving and beautiful soundtrack worthy of your time and money!