How Bad is the "O Brother..." Soundtrack?

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truecolorsfly--excellent post. I love most of the artists you mentioned (how cool are the Blasters!!) and I especially like your point about O Brother (or roots music in general) being a different language than rock. It's kind of like opera--not everyone's going to have an ear for it, but I for one am glad it's out there.
 
Thank you TrueColors for your comments - you've at least convinced me to give the soundtrack another listen.

However, I've heard my share of roots/bluegrass music and it seems that this album contains the worst examples of it. The melody as well as the music just sounds "off" - as if the tunes were being forced rather than performed.

And I guess that's my biggest complaint - not that an album of remakes won the Album of the Year (although, I will contend that if I were a Grammy voter, I would certainly give more weight to original material), but that the music just doesn't flow. Perhaps when these songs were originally created, the artists were inspired. However, here, it sounds like the artists are out of place, out of time, out of synchcronicity with the music. To reiterate, the music just sounds forced - it doesn't flow.

Most country artists do not write their own music - often they perform remakes, use songwriters or perform other artists' work. However, it succeed because they make the music their own. I did not get this feeling at all on this album - it's like the artists performing it never really embraced it.

However, I'll give it another listen. Sometimes repeated listenings can convert a person. But other times, repeated listenings only substantiate one's initial claims. For example, ask GypsyHeartGirl about "Pop" - no amount of repeated listenings will alter her mind about that album. Likewise, I've given "O.K. Computer" numerous listenings yet find it one of the most boring albums I have ever heard. Most claim it to be the best of '97 and one of, if not the, best album of the 90's - I view it as one of the worst albums of the 90's. So we'll see if another listening of "O Brother..." alters my mind.
 
For whatever its worth...Bono had some positive things to say about it. T.Bone Burnett is a friend of his and he made some comments that he would rather lose to him than anyone else...
He also made a comment that this record was able to put the spotlight on some artists who otherwise would go unnoticed. That's not an exact quote but that is what I remember of it..

Bono listens to bluegrass??? Ok...
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dream wanderer
 
truecoloursfly... that was one of the best posts I've read on this forum and it totally captures one aspect of how I feel about music these days.

Yay Gillian Welch. If not for the O' Brother soundtrack I wouldn't have become interested in her work and bought Welch's Revival or Time (The Revelator).

One thing I'd like to add and it might have been already said... The soundtrack and movie sort of go hand in hand. Watching the movie made the listening experience much more enjoyable. Sort of like a really good music video.

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~ "You can't resist her. She's in your bones. She is your marrow and your ride home. You can't avoid her. She's in the air; in between molecules of oxygen and carbon dioxide." ~ RC
 
Originally posted by Flying FuManchu:
One thing I'd like to add and it might have been already said... The soundtrack and movie sort of go hand in hand. Watching the movie made the listening experience much more enjoyable. Sort of like a really good music video.



If this is so true, then it stands the album (or songs from the album) should have been nominated for an Academy Award as best movie soundtrack.

However, to win the Grammy Album of the Year, the album should be brilliant on its own - no movie required. In other words, I find this comment a weakness, not a strength.
 
Originally posted by doctorwho:


Most country artists do not write their own music - often they perform remakes, use songwriters or perform other artists' work. However, it succeed because they make the music their own.


Hmmm...I don't think this is true at all. It may be true for what I call pop-country artists like Shania Twain, but look at Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen Jr., T-Bone Burnett, Nanci Griffith, Johnny Cash, Dwight Yoakam, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Iris Dement, Guy Clark, Duane Jarvis, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Joe Ely, Rodney Crowell, Julie Miller, Dave Alvin and of course Gillian Welch...I mean, songwriting is what these people *do*. It's a huge genre of progressive/alternative/rockabilly country music *known* for songwriting.

This forced sound you mention I think isn't forced at all to my ear. It's exactly how that particular genre of roots music has always been performed by unknown people and their neighbors sitting in their living rooms or front porches. As truecolorsfly said, it's a different language, and it's just not pleasing to everyone's ears, but I really think O Brother captured it authentically and that's why it has become such a 'cult' hit, if you will. It does indeed evoke a different time and place, and it's just not going to be a time and place that a lot of people are interested in.
 
I am a fan of bluegrass music; I have several bluegrass CDs in my collection. I am also a U2 fan and have EVERY U2 CD in my collection. I have been to a few Alison Kraus & Union Station concerts and I leave in amazement at the detail of music performed 100% manually on acoustic instruments and with live vocals.

I lost no sleep over O BROTHER winning this award over U2. Not only that, but I thought it was a great tribute to such a beautiful form of music when a 70+ year old man sang a song a capella in an awards show that is not typically geared towards the venue.

And if you get caught up in the technical side and the logistics of "how many awards U2 won" vs. "how this award was selected" then you are looking at an awards show too seriously.

Go ahead, call me names (redneck, hillbilly, "NOT a TRUE U2 fan!") or whatever you wish, but I am (#1) a fan of music, and (#2) a fan of numerous genres within the art of music.

~U2Alabama
 
Just my two cents here:

I also wondered what the big hubbub was about the O Brother soundtrack. The only people I know to this very minute who own it are my cousin and her husband. They raved about how good it was. They then proceeded to rave about the Creed concert they went to as well as Creed's latest album.

Needless to say, I didn't buy the O Brother soundtrack!
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(This post is intended to be funny to Creed un-fans. Deep in my heart, I think we can all listen to what we want, and we all have different tastes.)
 
Originally posted by U2Bama:

Go ahead, call me names (redneck, hillbilly, "NOT a TRUE U2 fan!") or whatever you wish, but I am (#1) a fan of music, and (#2) a fan of numerous genres within the art of music.

~U2Alabama


Hillbilly Bama > you make sense, as usual.
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Originally posted by joyfulgirl:
Hmmm...I don't think this is true at all. It may be true for what I call pop-country artists like Shania Twain, but look at Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen Jr., T-Bone Burnett, Nanci Griffith, Johnny Cash, Dwight Yoakam, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Iris Dement, Guy Clark, Duane Jarvis, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Joe Ely, Rodney Crowell, Julie Miller, Dave Alvin and of course Gillian Welch...I mean, songwriting is what these people *do*. It's a huge genre of progressive/alternative/rockabilly country music *known* for songwriting.

This forced sound you mention I think isn't forced at all to my ear. It's exactly how that particular genre of roots music has always been performed by unknown people and their neighbors sitting in their living rooms or front porches. As truecolorsfly said, it's a different language, and it's just not pleasing to everyone's ears, but I really think O Brother captured it authentically and that's why it has become such a 'cult' hit, if you will. It does indeed evoke a different time and place, and it's just not going to be a time and place that a lot of people are interested in.


Actually, my colleague, who is a HUGE country music fan, also states that most country artists do not write their own music. And I'm sure if we really examined the catalogs of the artists you mentioned, we'd find that to be true to some extent.

Also, having listened to some 30's and 40's music of various genres, I NEVER came across the feeling of it being forced. Rather it flowed because it was who they were. I do not feel the artists on the "O Brother..." album captured this period at all. They sound way out of time with this music - as if they are trying to put a modern face on a classic time.

Lastly, I do enjoy this era of history. I would very much so enjoy listening to a remake of this era - IF I felt the music brought me back to that time and place. However, when I listen to "O Brother..." I am not returned to that era.

Therefore, at present, I cannot agree with any of your counter claims. Nonetheless, I will give the album another chance.
 
Originally posted by doctorwho:

If this is so true, then it stands the album (or songs from the album) should have been nominated for an Academy Award as best movie soundtrack.

However, to win the Grammy Album of the Year, the album should be brilliant on its own - no movie required. In other words, I find this comment a weakness, not a strength.


Well REM's music video of "Everybody Hurts" made me appreciate or like the song itself more than I did just from listening to the album track. I mean don't music videos essentially try to do that as well as be a marketing tool? Do I believe the album could stand on its own. Sure, but it helps some people to have a visual aid and it did make some of the songs so much better.

"Down to the River to Pray" is one of my favorite songs on the album but the scene with all those "Baptists" walking through the woods, to the water, all dressed in white made it even that much more for me b/c of the imagery.

I was just thinking of ways for people to enjoy the music more. doctorwho... you were talking about flow and I was thinking maybe watching the movie would help with the "flow" issue... if you haven't watched the movie.

Just my 2 cents.

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~ "You can't resist her. She's in your bones. She is your marrow and your ride home. You can't avoid her. She's in the air; in between molecules of oxygen and carbon dioxide." ~ RC
 
When it comes to movie soundtracks, I own a helluva lot of them.

That said, when I watch a movie, sometimes the music moves me enough to want the soundtrack. The music from "O Brother" was moving enough for me to buy it. I enjoyed the 1930s-ish music. I wish my grandparents were alive to at least hear a few of the songs.

As for the album winning over U2... let's just say that I'm glad it was "O Brother" and not any other album up against U2 because of the connections U2 has with T-Bone. Yes, it made me mad that the soundtrack won, but I couldn't help but feel a bit of relief that it wasn't one of the other nominees.

and, doctorwho... when it comes to movie soundtracks, most people are exposed to the music through the movie first, not the other way around. I own many a soundtrack because of this (Glory, all 3 Indiana Jones movies, Braveheart, etc). I believe "O Brother..." can stand on its own without the movie - it just so happens that the majority of the songs were exposed to the public through the movie itself. I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

Just my .U2 cents.

Moonie
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Originally posted by doctorwho:
Actually, my colleague, who is a HUGE country music fan, also states that most country artists do not write their own music. And I'm sure if we really examined the catalogs of the artists you mentioned, we'd find that to be true to some extent.
...

Therefore, at present, I cannot agree with any of your counter claims. Nonetheless, I will give the album another chance.


I guess it depends on what kind of country music you listen to...country music is as varied as rock/pop, so to make a statement that most country artists don't write their own songs is like saying most rock/pop artists don't write their own songs when really it's the mainstream commercial folks who generally don't write their own music. I do have multiple records by all of the artists I mentioned and the vast majority of their work is their own--as I said, songwriting is what they're all about. They may cover one song on a record, though usually not, but that's about it.

Anyway, if you don't like O Brother, you just don't and we will just have to agree to disagree.
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I'm a-gonna go help Bama bring that wild boar outta the woods, now...
 
shouldn't you stay home, wait for Bama to catch that wild boar and then prepare it as dinner for him?

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Salome
Shake it, shake it, shake it

[This message has been edited by Salome (edited 04-21-2002).]
 
Originally posted by Salome:
shouldn't you stay home, wait for Bama to catch that wild boar and then prepare it as dinner for him?



Agrees... how much help can a barefoot, pregnant woman who only knows the kitchen be?

.

(And for those who don't get it, Salome and I were mocking Bama and JoyfulGirl's comments about being a hillbilly. It was a jokey joke.
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Originally posted by Salome:
shouldn't you stay home, wait for Bama to catch that wild boar and then prepare it as dinner for him?


Nope, I'm a liberated hillbilly gal.
*spits a wad of tobaccy in an ol' pork n' beans can*
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Originally posted by joyfulgirl:
It may be true for what I call pop-country artists like Shania Twain

i may be misreading what you said, but if what you're saying is that shania doesn't write her own stuff, she does. on her past two albums (or has she released anything else since come on over?) she at least co-wrote every song with her husband, i believe. although, i don't know how much of the stuff she writes so for all i know she may add like a bridge to every song or something.
but yeah, all the other ones write none of their own songs. people who don't write their own stuff pisses me off. there are some greats like whitney houston who don't, but in general it makes me mad.
 
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