SOUNDTRACK: RICHARD THOMPSON-Grizzly Man Soundtrack (2005).
This is a largely instrumental soundtrack by Richard Thompson. It features some wonderful guitar work (no surprise there). There are several slow acoustic numbers (“Tim & the Bears,” “Foxes”–which is in the style of his old traditional folk ballads) there’s also the slow impassioned electric guitar solo (set over a simple beat) of “Main Title.” “Ghosts in the Maze ” is a dark piece, the exact opposite of “Glencoe” a traditional-sounding song, both of these are under two minutes long. “Parents” adds a cello, which means a sombre song. “Twilight Cowboy” is one of the longer pieces, and it really conveys an openness of nature.
“Treadwell No More” is a slow six-minute dirge type song. “That’s My Story” has spoken dialogue by Treadwell, over a simple unobtrusive guitar. But as the title of the record says, Music composed and performed by Richard Thompson. Which means there are other musicians on the soundtrack too. “Small Racket” is where things start to get noisy and a little uncomfortable. There’s some squeaks and slashes of sound, but it’s mostly a tense guitar feel. Then comes the darker, scarier stuff. “Bear Fight,” is a series of cello noises and swipes. “Big Racket” is indeed that, with guitar from Henry Kaiser and noises from Jim O’Rourke. “Corona for Mr Chocolate” is all Jim O’Rourke, it’s also odd noises and moods. None of these three songs are terribly off-putting but they reflect a very different tone.
The album ends with “Main Title Revisited,” which is what it says and “Coyotes” by Don Edwards which has some coyote yodels.
It’s a good soundtrack, really conveying what the movie is about, and while not essential Richard Thompson, it is still some great guitar work
[READ: July 23, 2012] Magic Hours
I thought that I had never heard of Tom Bissell, but I see that I have read three of these articles already (I guess I don’t always pay attention to the author’s name).
This collection of essays comes from the last eleven years (2000-2011). The articles have appeared in The Believer & The New Yorker (these are the ones I have read) and Boston Review, Harper’s, New York Times Magazine, Virginia Quarterly Review, New York Times Book Review and Outside (which I am starting to think I should really check out more).
Primarily they are articles about writing–he looks at fiction, non-fiction, film or a combination of them. Bissell is a strong writer and he does not hold back when he sees something he likes or dislikes. I found his articles (all of which are quite long–about 30 pages each) to be engaging, funny and very persuasive. I’m really glad I read the book (and was even glad to re-read the articles that I had read before). (more…)
I Just Read About That... 