Customer Reviews

Crazy Heart: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Crazy Heart is the kind of film that hits you in the gut, it is original and so well acted. The soundtrack hits you in the same manner. It is old fashioned country sung with the blues. This weekend 'In the Best Original Song category - Motion Picture category Crazy Heart's lead song 'The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart)', composed by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett, won the Golden Globe.

Jeff Bridges plays the role of an original outlaw songwriter - "confident, crooked, and hardened with time" said Stephen Bruton who played with Jeff. His voice is from deep in the chest, and T Bone Burnett figures Bridges character would have wanted to follow in the footsteps of Leonard Cohen, but it wasn't his time. Bruton writes the lyrics and co-producer T Bone Burnett's has written some tunes and supervises the songs. These are true blues old classic country tunes. Many of the songs are from the old timers, Townes Van Zandt, wrote 'If I Needed You', Waylon Jennings wonderful song 'Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way', and Lightnin' Hopkins, one of those old timers a few of us remember and his song 'Once a Gambler'. Jeff bridges opens the CD with 'Hold On You', a hard beat tune that had me tappin' my toes. Stephen Bruton follows with an instrumental, 'Someone Else'. Bridges takes the lead again with 'Somebody Else' and then a snippet of a tune called 'Wesley's Piano'. Ryan Binghamon takes the stage with 'I Don't Know'- his voice from this CD will open his career. 'Fallin' and Flyin' sung by Bridges seems like one of those old time honky tonk tunes we hear drifting from a bar. 'Gone, Gone, Gone' sung by Colin Farrell is a great tune and sung well. Robert Duvall's sings 'Live Forever' in acapella format. Brand New Angel' sung by Jeff Bridges in a slow, waltzy type of tune. The CD finishes with "The Weary Kind" Ryan Bingham, captures the feel of the film to a 'T'.

The actors don't have that distinct old grizzled sound of the old country but they reach the honky tonk sound and it all seems fine and right. This is a CD for the ages, one the old timers would listen to, and one that reminds us of our roots in country. All damn fine tunes for a film that gives us as good as it gets. T Bone Burnett has another hit on his hands.

Highly Recommended. prisrob 01-19-09

Twenty Twenty - The Essential T Bone Burnett

The Big Lebowski - 10th Anniversary Edition

In country music, atmosphere is everything. Now, I'm talking real country music: Jennings, Cash, Haggard, Kristofferson. I'm talking about country music that goes straight for your throat and leaves you gasping into your pitcher of beer.

CRAZY HEART isn't quite there...but it's close. Jeff Bridges isn't the world's greatest singer, but he doesn't have to be: he rasps out these songs like he's lived them. Colin Farrell, likewise, isn't much of a singer (though far better than you'd expect), but he sings these songs like he hasn't lived them yet--which of course is fitting with his persona. The space in between these two gentlemen is filled with classic tunes by Buck Owens, Waylon Jennings, the Louvin Brothers, etc., and some new tunes by alt-country singer Ryan Bingham, who helped craft the film's soundtrack with producer-extraordinaire T. Bone Burnett. It all leads up to Bingham's haunting "The Weary King," the film's these and rightfully Oscar-nominated tune.

CRAZY HEART is an album of solid country music, the likes of which we haven't seen for a while. If you're a fan of the film, or if you're just despairing over all the Kenny Chesneys and Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swifts, then get a copy of this album, put it in and turn it up. It'll take you back to the days when country music had teeth, and wasn't afraid to use 'em.

Let me be clear, I HATE country music. Well the psuedo pop stuff that passes for country music these days anyway. But I loved this soundtrack. This was an OK movie that was carried by a great cast and an incredible lead performance by Jeff Bridges. But the second best thing about it was the music. I nice mix of classic CW and original performances by Bridges. WELL worth five bucks!!!

While I admit I have eclectic taste in music that span more years than I care to admit, ranging from Blue Grass to Jazz ( West Coast preferred), with all the stops in between, I am not a big, or particularly knowledgeable fan of country music, in its many fashions and forms. With that said, I did enjoy this recording - the Buck Owens and Lightening Hopkins cuts were a treat, and was more than pleasantly surprised by Bridges singing. I would probably buy a studio album from him in the same or similar format.
My beef with the release was the actually production quality of the cuts, which is somewhat shocking when one considers T-Bone's excellent track record. His Brother Were Art Thou sound track, and the Down From the Mountain DVD/sound track - were amazing and almost seamless in the blends of older recordings with newer tracks. The Bridges cuts were murky and blurred - perhaps to capture the essence of the movie, but to the detriment of the overall recording. The track separation was simplistic, not affording any true depth or complexity to the listener. If you are use to compressed MP3 tracks through semi-good ear pods, then this criticism will mean little, but if you enjoy music for both content and presentation, you might find this recording a bit disappointing - hence the 4 stars - By the way - the short Robert Duvall cut is wonderfully authentic - reminded me of his movie Tender Mercies and his work in The Apostle. - cheers

I haven't review any CD's before but this is one of the best I've heard in a long time. The juxtaposition of old country music with the new is awesome. Jeff Bridges lacks some twang but I can over look that since he sounds whiskey and cigarette voiced. Got the Ryan Bingham CD's with this and really like him too. Keep it going T-Bone!!

This is a must for all audiophiles. It covers the classics as well as the latest in Country thanks to Ryan Bingham and T.Bone Burnett.

The sound track, like the movie, is extremely well done and easy to listen to. Enjoy it immensely.

Having heard some of the worst country songs out there, I'd forgotten how the right blend of lyrics and music can strike to the bone, grab the heart, and end up resonating deeply. The music from Crazy Heart does just that. Of course, hearing the music along with the movie is one type of experience. The good news is that the music stands solidly on its own and the surprise is that Jeff Bridges holds his own as a country singer. If you haven't seen the movie, I urge you to do so - Bridges performance may just be the best of his career. But even if you decide to buy only the soundtrack, be prepared to listen to it again and again. Robert Duvall also sings on this one. All in all, a wonderful addition to any collection - even if you think you don't like country music! Songs like "Hold on You" and "Fallin and Flying" not only have catchy tunes but the lyrics will make you think about more than lost hound dogs, beat up cars and cheating spouses. Instead, many of the lyrics are about soul searching, admitting to mistakes, and starting all over again.

Crazy Heart turned out to be my favourite movied and soundtrack CD. I had no idea Jeff Bridges was so amazingly talented, I've been a huge fan of his movies.......now I know he's a great drunk cowboy singer.

If you saw the movie, you want this disc. Jeff Bridges has a surprisingly-good country voice and the guitar music is great. Like most CDs, a few tracks I don't care for, but that is a matter of taste. I would have given 5 stars if I had liked all the tracks. This disc if fast becoming one of my favorites.