The best modern westerns seem to have eschewed the power ballads in favour of simpler arrangements. I'm reminded of Nick Cave and Warren Ellis's Jesse James soundtrack and the 3:10 to Yuma where they both brilliantly evoke the sparseness of the desert, the over-riding loneliness of those who live in it and simmering tensions where law is not so much a rule as a guideline for those fortunate to afford it and within near enough proximity to call on it.
True Grit is no exception and composer Carter Burwell has opted for an instrumental-only album with the tracks based on traditional hymns that would have been well known to the more God-fearing Americans of the late 1800s. In the same way that the Coen Brothers have been very respectful in re-creating a period piece, so has Burwell also paid homage to the music of previous westerns. I'd recommend watching the film first then sitting down with the sleeve notes to the soundtrack and listen to each composition in its context - 'River Crossing', 'Ride of Death' etc. It certainly helps to place each piece and understand what Burwell was trying to convey.
A few gripes though. Firstly, the Oscars Academy (is that it's proper name?) deemed the soundtrack unworthy of the standards required for consideration. Well, it's just my opinion but I think we'll have to agree to disagree on that one, Oscar. Secondly, the film had a Johnny Cash song included in the trailers that seems to have been omitted from the soundtrack. I'm not surprised, to be honest as it is a bit out of keeping with the rest of the album but it could have been added as a bonus track. I'll rate it 6 or 7 out of 10. There's a theme running through the album - well, I say theme it's more a variation of the same tune and it can get a bit samey. It's definitely above average but isn't a classic. I hope that's a fair assessment.
As a bonus for this blog entry I'm going to add the Johnny Cash track that was missed out, 'God's Gonna Cut You Down'.
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