Songcatcher: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture
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Free Music Notes for Songcatcher: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture
Free Music Review: A review of what this CD is, not of what it isn't
Hit: 5 Stars
It seems that an awful lot of people are reviewing this album for what it isn't rather than for what it is. What it isn't, is the standard movie soundtrack. Some of the songs featured in the film are indeed missing (although they are generally songs that were only sung for a few seconds) and many of the songs on this disc were not in the film at all. So if you are looking for the standard soundtrack you need to be aware that this is not what you are getting here.But if you like the type of music that was featured in the movie, this disc is very much for you. The forty-three seconds of "Barbara Allen" that one reviewer complained about is the same forty-three seconds that was featured in the film, so it seems a bit odd to complain that this disc is different from the film, and then gripe about a song that is identical to the movie. It is a magnificent forty-three seconds and granted letting Emmy Rossum record a full version would have been most welcome.
Aside from a pair of tracks that are taken from the films score, the rest of the songs are traditional folk ballads, or originals inspired by the genre, sung by a virtual who's who of the folk world. The real star here is Iris DeMent who's take on "Pretty Saro" is nothing short of astonishing. It alone is worth the price of the CD (and of a box-office ticket)
Other highlights include a lovely duet between Rossum and Dolly Parton on a song called "When Love Is New" (fans of Parton's recent "Little Sparrow" CD take note -- this song would fit right at home on it), Roseanne Cash's "Fair and Tender Maidens," Julie Miller's new, acoustic version of "All My Tears," Hazel Dickins, David Patrick Kelly, and Bobby McMillon's "Conversation With Death," and Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, and David Steele's chilling take on the traditional "Wind and Rain." Some of these songs are in the movie, some are not. So what? They are all on this disc and they are part of the reason it is such a wonderful one.
Free Music Review: Americana, plain and simple
Hit: 5 Stars
This collection of charming compositions are bright single blossoms that make up a great wildflower collection, only this bouquet will hardly wilt overnight. "When Love is New" is a beautiful melodic performance that will no doubt be escorting and soothing many a summer traveller caught on a frustrating interstate. Dolly and Emmy, my hat's off to you! Emmy, your acappella "Barbara Allen" sent chills down my spine. The Emmylou Harris performance of the same tune is a pure delight done as only Ms Harris could do. "Moonshiner", performed by Allison Moorer, with its wonderous harmonium and guitar intro and backdrop is a great rendition of a good traditional tune that I heard as a child on the front porch of a neighbors house in Austin TX, long ago. I love Julie Millers "All my tears" Gillian Welch's banjo and Tammy Rodgers fiddle give the piece its great "American Backbone". "Mary of the Wild Moor" is a transplanted European song that could be called a soothing summer lullaby. The second acapella piece in this collection could be called the brother of the song "down to the river to pray" which was performed by Allison Krauss on the "Oh Brother Where are Thou" collecton. The Dylanesque "Cukoo Bird" with its rapid fire rythm and cleaver lyrics will send one off humming the tune well into the day. Hazel Dicken's, David Patrick and Bobby McMillen's conversation with death contiues Ralph Stanley's missive "Oh Death" from the "Oh Brother" collection, and done with great virtuousity I might add. The third acapella piece is a charming rendition of "Single Girl". This Album will no doubt be spinning on my player for years to come. I'm a Texan and will be quick to tell that music like this is what is making Greune Hall in New Braunfels and The Cabaret in Bandera very famous, very fast. Thank you Ladies and All who had a part in this great collection!!Free Music Review: Ignore the Naysayers
Hit: 5 Stars
I've never understood the vitriol that is often directed at this CD as evidenced by many of the one star reviews posted here. Many complain that some of the music that was in the movie is not included here (although virtually all of it is) and then complain that Emmy Rossum's version of "Barbara Allen" is limited to a few seconds. Did you not see the movie? Her version of the song that was in the movie was only a few seconds as it was those few seconds that led the character of Lily to "discover" that many of the locals in the mountain community she was visiting still sung the old English ballads that the movie was centered on. In other words, they are upset because some music in the movie is not included here, and because some of the music from that movie that is here is EXACTLY like it was in the movie. Which is it people?
Evidently the reviewer who dismisses Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, and Rosanne Cash as being "mainstream" hasn't spent much time listening to mainstream "country" radio over the past several years. None of these artists can get arrested by the corporate radio that actually considers posers like Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Toby Keith, and Tim McGraw as being country artists. Other of the artists here, such as Iris DeMent, Julie Miller, Maria McKee, and Gillian Welch are so far out of what is even considered "mainstream" today to make one wonder just what is the real beef people have with this music.
OK, sure, some of the songs here have been given an updated and more contemporary sound, but so what? That is what these ballads have gone through over the 400-500 years they have been sung. Every ballad singer give a song his/her own stamp and no two versions were ever alike. This is while many of the real songcatchers, folks like Francis James Child and Cecil Sharp cataloged many versions of songs, some with differing titles and characters. The tradition continues here. Get over it.
Free Music Review: The roots of American music
Hit: 5 Stars
This CD, part movie soundtrack, part separate compilation is a wonderful introduction to the early rural roots of American country music before it went suburban and became watered down Muzak al la Faith Hill and Shania Twain. Like the soundtrack to the movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou," it recalls a time when music was enjoyed for its own sake, and not solely drive by spreadsheets and profit margins.But "Songcatcher" actually predates "O Brother" in that the songs that are here are either hundreds of years old ("Fair and Tender Maidens," "Pretty Saro," "Barbara Allen," "Wind and Rain," etc.) or originals heavily influenced by the style the movie and this CD seek to pay homage to ("When Love is New," "All My Tears," etc). These are the old ballads that were sung in rural England in the 16th and 17th centuries and brought over with the English settlers when they settled the southern Appalachians. By the early 20th century, when the movie is set, these ballads had mostly died out in England and in urban American, but survived in the mountains. Folklorists, such as Cecil Sharp and Olive Dame Campbell (among others) helped to see that these ballads were preserved thought their efforts of collecting them. Their efforts helped to inspire the movie "Songcatcher."
These old ballads are part of the roots of American country music. The mountain ballads eventually mixed with other genres to form bluegrass and bluegrass, of course, is a significant sub-genre of country music. At a time when Nashville has sold its soul to the highest bidder, the success of the "O Brother" soundtrack is most welcome, and the efforts of "Songcatcher," both the film and this wonderful CD, are helping to remind people just where that music came from.
Free Music Review: Traditional mountain music nicely updated
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the kind of music that was sung in the mountains of Appalachia long before recorded music was available. Most likely it was sung unaccompanied, but on this album there is some backing music, sparse though it is. In the modern age, this is about as close as you can get to traditional mountain music while still appealing to a wider public.I have not seen the movie, but I understand that the songs here were often recorded by different people than those who actually sang them in the movie. As I've never seen the movie, it's not an issue for me. I bought this because of the singers here - and that's probably why they are here. If the largely unknown singer-actresses had appeared without the star names, I doubt if I - or many others - would have bought it.
The singer-actresses (Emmy Rossum and Pat Carroll) do get a chance to show what they can do, via the inclusion of a little of their music. Emmy, in particular, is excellent - I hope we get the chance to hear more from her. Pat cannot really sing - her song works well, but it was wise of the record company to just include her once. But the reason I and many others bought this was to hear Dolly, Iris, Patty, Emmylou and others sing traditional music.
Inevitably on such collections, everybody has their favorites, often based on who their favorites are before hearing the music. Dolly is my all-time favorite singer, but I am also a huge fan of Iris, Emmylou, Allison, Patty, Sara and Deana. I also enjoy Roseanne's music though I don't play her as often as the others, but her version of Fair and tender ladies is one of the best tracks here.
If you enjoyed the O brother soundtrack, you will surely enjoy this too.