Neil Young: Dead Man : Original Motion Picture Soundtrack CD Track Listing

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Neil Young Dead Man : Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1996)
1996 Vapor Records\n\nOriginally Released February 27, 1996\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: Even within the unpredictable Neil Young discography, this qualifies as one of his most unpredictable efforts. This soundtrack to the Jim Jarmusch film Dead Man is entirely instrumental, with the exception of some poetry read by Johnny Depp (who stars in the film) and a bit of dialogue. What's more, these untitled instrumental passages are dominated by subterranean guitar rumbles that manage to sound both grungy and subdued. Young also takes care to vary his approach a bit, switching occaionally to pump organ, detuned piano, and acoustic guitar. The results not only evoke the hostile, desolate landscapes of the film's Old West, but work on their own terms as ambient mood music for the non-new age crowd, creating an atmosphere of restless disturbance with subtlety and grace. It's not necessarily for the typical Neil Young fan (whoever that might be), but it's certainly one of his most successful experimental efforts. -- Richie Unterberger\n\nAmazon.com Editorial Review\nMusicologists looking for evidence of Neil Young's connection with the avant-garde likes of Sonic Youth need look no further than this uncompromising soundtrack to Jim Jarmusch's film Dead Man--the first post-punk western to make any sense at all. The music here is scattered and fragmentary, and performed mainly on electric guitar. Though Young's instrumental musings work well in the film, this soundtrack album will be of interest mostly to hardcore Young fanatics (for whom the feedback epic of "Weld" was too brief). The film's most accessible piece of music came during the opening credits, with Young blending acoustic and electric guitars to great dramatic effect. Unfortunately, it's not on this CD. Rent the video. --Steve Appleford \n\nHalf.com Album Credits\nJohnny Depp, Contributing Artist\nJohn Hanlon, Engineer\nJohn Hanlon, Producer\nNeil Young, Producer\n\nAlbum Notes\nDEAD MAN is the soundtrack to Jim Jarmusch's film of the same name. It features 13 connected, untitled instrumental tracks performed solo by Neil Young, along with dialogue from the film and selections of William Blake's poetry read by Johnny Depp.\n\nPersonnel includes: Neil Young (acoustic & electric guitars, piano, pump organ); Johnny Depp (spoken vocals).\n\nRecorded at Mason St. Studios, San Francisco, California. Includes liner notes by Jim Jarmusch and poetry by William Blake.\n\nDuring the writing and shooting of Jim Jarmusch's DEAD MAN, a surreal spiritual journey through the old West starring Johnny Depp, he listened continually to the music of Neil Young, dreaming of tapping the artist to provide the film's soundtrack. Fate smiled on Jarmusch (and the rest of us) when Young agreed. Performing solo, Young recorded a series of moody, introspective instrumental pieces for the film, centered mostly around his distinctive electric guitar sound, but also utilizing pump organ and piano. The music evokes the hazy, unreal atmosphere of the film, as DEAD MAN's examination of the essential strangeness of nature is a longtime Young theme. Bits of dialogue from the film are interspersed throughout, but are poetic enough to enchance, rather than interrupt, the flow.\n\nMelody Maker (4/6/96, p.37) - "...Listening to it is an odd sensation. Young has created a rumbling, harrowing noise that makes you want to use the phrase `distant thunder' without it sounding like a cliche....When Depp reads [William Blake's poetry] you feel awed and excited....he is both moved and moving..." \n\nNew Musical Express (3/2/96, p.49) - 7 (out of 10) - "...Young is crackling like a campfire primed with gelignite. Occasionally, the urge to explode and explore is too great and, pump-organ at the ready, Young tramples all in his path with...a fistful of feedback....Encouraged by Young's...solemn scratchings, Blake's apocalyptic visions set up home in Jarmusch's weirdsville west..." \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nMasterful, October 1, 2001 \nReviewer: perky_86001 from Rimrock, AZ USA \nAs in the movie, the tracks on this soundtrack start clean and gradually turn into a grungeful and distorted piece of the same thing. And it sounds great! No other musician could pull off what Neil Young did here. This music reflects upon the premise of the movie: William Blake starts out in Cleveland in a suit and tie and slowly ends up an injured and wanted man, strugglisg to survive long enough to "Go back to where all spirits come from, and all spirits return" as put by Nobody.\n\nThis album is also a bit different from the movie, it has added sounds throughout. Maybe the sound of a vehicle driving along and stopping, with doors opening and shutting along the way, possibly to symbolize his journey? Or to add a bit of interesting background noise to give it more of a grunge feel? I'm still trying to figure it out...\n\nAnd there is a lot of dialogue added to the soundtrack, most from the movie, and also some of William Blake's poetry read by Johnny Depp. If you listen closely, you can notice that some of the dialogue has been changed: "I've got some food here that even Nero couldn't command." "I've got some food here that even Goldilocks couldn't command." Which version came first would be interesting to know...\n\nSo overall it's one of the best soundtracks I've ever bought, if you're a fan of the movie it's a must have, and if you're not a fan of the movie...why are you reading this review? \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\n5 Star Soundtrack, 3 Star CD, March 18, 2003 \nReviewer: Edward M. Erdelac from Panorama City, California United States \nI bought this wanting to re-experience the hypnotic guitar music of Dead Man. What is the trend lately with companies adding dialogue from the film onto soundtracks? Oh well, I can deal with that in this instance because the dialogue to Dead Man sufficiently blends with the resonating guitar, but what's the deal with the background noises? On the copy I got the feeling somebody had mastered the album with two boom boxes in their Dad's garage. There is the distinct sound of a motorcycle being gunned and several points in the album...weird. Thankfully the guitar is usually loud enough to overwhelm this.\n\nAlso, as pointed out elsewhere, that great methodic opening and closing theme is absent. Too bad. Young comes off in regards to this movie like a modern day Ennio Morricone - puncutating key moments in the film with discordant strikings of his guitar. This really is a fantastic soundtrack - but again, as said elsewhere, don't buy it without seeing the movie first. \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nworth your time if you listen, January 13, 2001 \nReviewer: outrecuidance from seattle, wa USA \nif you expect 'cinnamon girl' over and over again, then you shouldn't be buying neil young in the first place. if you have ANY interest in being educated on 1.) how a guitar can sound, and how it can evoke emotion if it's tortured JUST right, 2.) how musical themes and textures can be systematically explored just like in classical music, but using only a few modern instruments and a nearly-formless setting, or 3.) just exactly how much ... neil young can kick with the UNBELIEVABLE tone he gets out of that guitar, then buy this record. or better, watch the movie a few times (it's great, and the music is vital to it), get the music stuck in your head, then put this album in your cd player and don't listen to anything else for a week. it's worth it.
This misc cd contains 13 tracks and runs 62min 51sec.
Freedb: 9d0eb90d
Buy: from Amazon.com

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