Customer Reviews

About a Boy

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is an outstanding soundtrack, possessing a melancholy beauty that captures the bittersweet flavor of the movie perfectly. In my opinion it's on par with The Graduate's soundtrack - at least, I'd be hard-pushed to think of another comtemporary movie soundtrack that's as heartfelt and moving (although Jon Brion's excellent classical compositions for "Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind..." impress too).

I am surprised however, how people have overloooked the stand-out track on this inspiring soundtrack - I love NYE. I'm just blown away every time I hear this instrumental masterpiece. (I even noticed that the last series of Sex and the City threw it in for poignant effect at one point.)

In About a Boy Nick Hornby and Badly Drawn Boy were just one of those perfect pairings. And subsequently it's is one of my favorite films... something, I hasten to add, I'm slightly embarassed about because it was marketed like most Hollywood garbage (ie cheesy and over-sentimental which it wasn't) and I can't stand Hugh Grant normally, but he was surprisingly great in this.

It always kills me how some people want an artist to always keep the same sound as the first album they heard. But isn't that the mark of a true artist? To explore, to experiment, to branch out and evolve? To sometimes do a special commission for someone who appreciates your work? An artist should evolve as they work, otherwise, every album will end up sounding the same.

An example: what if the Beatles only recorded in the style of "A Hard Day's Night". Of course, that is great music. But then we never would have gotten to "Sgt. Pepper's" or "Rubber Soul" or "Abbey Road". And what a loss that would have been.

This album is still great music, even if it is what people derogatorily refer to as a "soundtrack". I have not seen the movie. But I still think this is an album that stands on its own. I love to listen to it almost as much as I do "Bewilderbeast". Each song flows into the next. They are beautiful and well-written, filled with emotion. I even love all the little interludes between songs (which remind me a lot of the "Rushmore" soundtrack). Every time I listen, I think "I need to go rent the movie." I'd love to see how these great songs fit into the story.

If you enjoyed BDB's Hour of Bewilderbeast, you'll absolutely love About A Boy. First off, it really doesn't sound like a soundtrack. The music lives on it's own with or without the storyline references. Tucked away are deep and soul-filled pop tunes that BDB has become known for. There really isn't a dull or bad moment on the disc. Catchy one minute and somber the next, About A Boy is what soundtracks want to sound like.

I highly recommend it.

The songs and incidental music by Badly Drawn Boy are the perfect accompaniment for this film. Rock, pop, folk and alternative sounds, not to mention the songs' lyrics, intertwine to reflect the film's humor, poignancy, and charm. It's a wonderful and enjoyable soundtrack with cool grooves/riffs/rhythms in the mix. After seeing the film, I immediately went out to get this. Just listen, this is something you'll want to add to your collection.

First off let's all understand that this album is both the newest Badly Drawn Boy album AND the About A Boy soundtrack. Often you can find it in both slots at your local music store, and it certainly has been marketed as such. Musically, it serves both purposes, and deserves note as a very serviceable entry in both categories.

That out of the way, it shines as both...

For the About A Boy soundtrack slot it is a very delicate and sound entry that has far more personal depth and singular talent than most soundtracks ever muster. It very much exemplifies the sharpness of the Nick Hornby novel and the modern awareness of the movie, but without coming across as a pretentious partner (more like an observant friend).

As the new Badly Drawn Boy (best listened to without the case anywhere nearby as to not incite a reminder that this has anything to do with a film) it is a very worthwhile follow-up and incredibly well-played LP. It honestly does not sound like a soundtrack, especially given BDB's existing pension for odd song framings anyway. The songs, if they hold any fault as the new BDB, are a bit more alike than some may prefer, but I feel as if they provide a very sweet backbone to what could easily be heard as a concept album exploring a particular theme or style.

Enjoy, it's a nice gem from Badly Drawn Boy. Oh, and read the book if you get a chance, you'll see why BDB would support such an effort...

I became familiar with Badly Drawn Boy through the Hugh Grant movie "About a Boy." I really appreciated the movie because it had a unique point of view of two "teenagers", one an adult misfit who never grew up(Grant), and one a teenage misfit who can't grow up because he has no one in his life to show him how.

At any rate, I really liked the music from the film, and I purchased the CD. Badly Drawn Boy (an upcoming act in Britain - which means total obscurity in the US) provides the entire soundtrack here. It is really wonderful. Like many top artists in Britain, it is parts Beatles, Bob Dylan, R & B, and soul music, mixed in with a dash of theater sensibilities, with a sprinkle of typical British cheekiness for taste.

Standout tracks include the sublime "Silent Sigh," "Something to Talk About," (the theme of the movie I suppose), "SPAT," "River, Sea, Ocean," (which sounds like a cross between the Monkees and a Admiral Halsey period McCartney - yes really) and "A Minor Incident."

Interspersed in between the tracks are interludes that arose in the movie, and are placed here, far from being filler, the interludes are interesting little 'ditties.'

Overall, ths is a pleasant surprise for a movie soundtrack CD. I was inspired to also purchase Badly Drawn Boy's "The Hour of Bewilderbeast" and Mystikal, who before the movie, like Marcus (the young boy in the movie), I was clueless about. You know you should "Shake your - bum -"

If you like pleasant upbeat and interesting music you will definitely enjoy this CD. It is really a great revelation, and great fun. I also recommend "The Hour of Bewilderbeast."

I admit it. Not having heard any tracks, seeing the dreaded word 'Soundtrack' on the the cover had me spooked, for all of a split second, before I greedily zapped it up at the local record store. Obviously the producers imagined the same possibilities as I did on hearing 'The Hour of the Bewilderbeast'. And upon the first listen, you hear the great melody, but look in vain for the experimentalism that made that album so great. But then the subtle hooks grab you, and they don't let go, and then perhaps you will find, as I have, that it has assumed control of your cd player and refuses to be shut off. Sure it is more Pop than 'Hour', but it is a great artistic pop that will wrench at your heart. This is a true album, a great album, and what is more, an unexpected gift arriving far sooner than a 'studio' follow-up ever would.

this was my 1st bdb cd, and i have had it for awhile now but i choose to write a review now, my about a boy cd is currently in bad condition and iam gonna get a new copy right away, this cd is just a masterpeice and damon gough is a genius, from all three albums that i own i cannot figure out which one is the best they are all so great,i would reccomend all his albums to any real music lovers , i can only hope for more from him , iam sure it will only get better from here, IF U THINK THIS ALBUM SUCKS , THEN GO LISTEN TO YOUR STUPID LINKIN PARK AND WATCH YOUR PRECIOUS MTV

Folky, Symphonic, Smart, Breathtaking, Hip, Whimsical, Acoustic, Grand. There are some songs on this cd that amaze me and others that annoy me <like "S.P.A.T.">. So I give this effort a 3.7 or so. But the good ones are quite good and well-crafted, such as "Something to Talk About", "Above You, Above Me", "Silent Sigh" and "A Minor Incident" (the suicide letter from the mom to the boy>. I love how Badly Drawn Boy, aka Damon Gough, intersperses little orchestral ditties mirroring other song melodies between the tracks. Being a movie soundtrack, the songs follow a chronological order but have the indelible print of BDB on each of them. If you had to choose between this album and his latest, "Have You Fed the Fish?", choose this one! It is so much more charming and personal; "Fish" exudes a sense of affectedness and over-polish...he's trying too hard! Anyway, if you like Elliott Smith, Travis, Coldplay, or Embrace, be sure and check the Boy out. p.s. I'm writing to American listeners, because there's no doubt that the Boy is a household name in Britain (why can't we have more awesome mainstream music in the States?).

That is the only way to describe the best pieces on this work, which are the overwhelming majority. This is more than a worthy followup to BDB's superb debut, which was by far the best album of 2000 (or at least tied with Kid A). The only reason for the four stars is that there are a couple of instrumental pieces that fall below par here, but that is why they made skip buttons on cds...and considering there are 16 tracks here, an excellent 14 track cd has much more to offer than what is usually available in this day and age.

The sound follows more of the mid-tempo sound of "Hour of the Bewilderbeast"...there are no real rockers here or super mellow pieces like "The Shining," but instead really wonderful in-between pieces with beautiful mezmerizing lyrics the likes of which haven't been seen since Simon & Garfunkel, which brings me to the most obvious comparison for this album, which is the "Graduate" soundtrack, or "Bookends" It has that kind of vibe, but is in no way a rip-off. This is proof that songwriting is still alive and well in an era of electronically manufactured performers. This is the kind of music that gives life a knowing smile, and makes it worth living.