Cold Mountain [SOUNDTRACK]

Jack White, Alison Krauss, Gabriel Yared

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 16, 2003)
• Original Release Date: December 25, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000E1WL4
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (84 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #12,383 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #74 in

  Music > Country > Bluegrass > Contemporary

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Director Anthony Minghella's take on Charles Frazier's bestselling novel is powered by wistful romanticism and a dramatic structure that's been compared to Homer's Odyssey. That latter creative tack parallels the Coens' O Brother, Where Art Thou in crucial ways, and is further enhanced by another T-Bone Burnett-produced soundtrack of Appalachian-inflected folk traditionals, sympathetic originals by diverse songwriters (Elvis Costello and Sting), and a core of gritty performances (the White Stripe's Jack White and Alison Krauss) that rise above mere star appeal. White shows his traditional blues jones is no mere affectation on "Wayfaring Stranger" and a cover of Howlin' Wolf's "Sittin' On Top of the World," then makes a rewarding turn into the wistfully romantic with his original "Never Far Away." Krauss gives a haunting performance of Costello's "The Scarlet Tide," but doesn't fare as well with Sting's plaintive, Celtic-tinged "You Will Be My True Love." The soundtrack's evocative sense of time and place is further underscored by traditionals performed by a slate of other bluegrass/country-folk heavyweights and a powerful pair of gospelized, almost ethereal performances by the Sacred Harp Singers at Liberty Church. A few of Gabriel Yared's gentle orchestral cues (crucial to the film's characters and dramatic continuity) are essentially tacked on as the coda to the remaining collection of earthy Americana. Dark, dusty, and ever bittersweet, Burnett's musical archaeology here is something considerably more than merely "O Brother Redux." --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "T-Bone Burnett has another winner ~ Cold Mountain", January 4, 2004

By	J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Sony Music jumps on the bandwagon of Americana with a collection of traditional country from "Cold Mountain", the Anthony Minghella's Civil War film featuring nineteen tracks of soundtrack and score ~ featuring Stuart Duncan, Cassie Franklin, Dirk Powell, Tim Eriksen, Riley Baugus, Tim O'Brien, Alison Krauss, Jack White, Sacred Harp Singers (at Liberty Church) and the score composed by Gabriel Yared who seemingly brings all the characters to life through his magnificent music.

Plain to see the brand of T-Bone Burnett on this compilation, much like "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", the same driving force with cues like "THE SCARLET TIDE", brings the song writing talent of Elvis Costello and voice of Alison Krauss with harmony by Cheryl White to the fore and "YOU WILL BE MY AIN TRUE LOVE", another beautiful composition from String who also sings backup with Alison ~ "WAYFARING STRANGER", "SITTIN' ON TOP OF THE WORLD", "NEVER FAR AWAY", "CHRISTMAS WILL SOON BE OVER" and "GREAT HIGH MOUNTAIN", features blues, gospel, folk and country with an unforgettable interpretation by songwriter/vocalist Jack White (who debuted in this film).

My stand out pick is "I'M GOING HOME", performed by the Sacred Harp Singers at Liberty Church unleash the power of four part harmony that goes back one hundred and ten years ~ haunting and vibrate makes the floor shake with their sound ~ this cue is well worth the price of the album...gotta love it!

Total Time: 63:07 on 19 Tracks ~ Sony 86843 ~ (12/16/2003)

35 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Transports you back to Cold Mountain..., February 24, 2004

By	Emily Todd (USA) - See all my reviews

"Cold Mountain", an extraordinary piece of art in its own right, is greatly improved by its soundtrack. This wonderful soundtrack really creates the atmosphere of the South during the Civil War era. Fans of the accomplished Gabriel Yared (The English Patient, Message in a Bottle, Sylvia) will want to pick this one up as he composes the score. Numerous songs are provided by Jack White, Oscar-nominee Alison Krauss (who sings my favorite songs on the album), Tim Eriksen, Riley Baugus, and more. Though I must warn you, this soundtrack is definitely not for everyone. Some of the songs work well with the film (11. Christmas Time Will Soon Be Over - Jack White), but definitely not on their own. In addition, many songs on here are bluegrass, country, and folk; genres that are often parodied and ridiculed by mainstream music fans. However, if you enjoyed any of the music in the film, this is the CD for you. Unlike many other soundtracks which shall remain nameless, every single piece of music in the film is included on the soundtrack in its full and complete form.

FAVORITES:
4.) The Scarlet Tide - Alison Krauss
8.) You Will Be My Ain True Love - Alison Krauss
14. Great High Mountain - Jack White
15.-18.) All of Gabriel Yard's score
19.) Idumea - Sacred Harp Singers At Liberty Church

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Diverse and Moving, January 19, 2004

By	Justin Gabriel "surferzero" (Asheville, NC) - See all my reviews

To say the movie, `Cold Mountain', was surprisingly good, would serve little purpose here in a review for the Soundtrack. However, I merely include it as a point of reference. To say the Soundtrack was surprisingly good, would be false. Anybody who has seen the movie would not be surprised!

You can tell that the musical masterminds behind this film's compilation were the same who crafted the critically acclaimed sounds of `O Brother Where Art Thou'. This time they have gone even further back in the American traditional music unconscious, and have centered around the Appalachian region. The result is, what I assume to be, an accurate representation of folk music from the Civil War era in that area that is both inviting and moving. Jazz like arrangements of banjo and fiddle mesh with off-beat duets and old-time choral anthems.

For a city slicker from Los Angeles like myself, some of the music takes a while to get used to, while other songs will launch you immediately back to your favorite scenes in the movies. One press of the play button and you'll be hiking through the foggy Carolina mountains with Inman. Some personal favorites are Jack White's `Never Far Away' and the utter haunting poignancy of `Lady Margret' by Cassie Franklin. I wouldn't be surprised if the main attraction, `You Will Be My Ain True Love' by Alison Krauss wins Grammies and the Oscar for Best Song. (Think Celine Dion's Titanic song.)

The compilation seems to progress in three different stages. It begins with pure, traditional folk music. Residents of the Blue Ridge will probably feel a swell of pride to hear these tunes. The middle is more Pop induced, things you could hear on a contemporary radio station just as easily. The end hits you with a wonderful original score and piano music, most of which you will directly remember from the film. If you liked what you heard in the movie, or are fans of these genre and/or the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack, this is for you!