Customer Reviews

North Country - Music From The Motion Picture

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

 

 

'Tell Ol' Bill'--which is the only reason anyone would review this album--is a song homogeneous in its pattern and melody, strong five minute piece of Bob Dylan. Recently Dylan (in regard to Love and Theft) has described his music as an electric grid with lyrics overlapping, and this song takes that pattern to the extreme, with midwestern town and empty woods imagery spread evenly, and copies itself verse after verse. For that reason, there is no chorus, and no variation in the instrumentation (which, I'd like to say, is pretty and woody). Dylan's voice is very close this time, and he's doing a lot of the same microphone experimentation that I recognize from his concerts. There's this half-singing, half-exhaling whine which you will like after the third listen.

Obviously not comparable work to earlier songs, but only because it's an experiment in pure redundancy, which has always worked in some sense for Bob Dylan.

I would recommend this soundtrack highly and I especially thought the Dylan presence fit perfectly. More Dylan would have set the scenes even better. Leo K was also a nice marriage to the story. As for "Minnesota not so nice", be cautious about speaking for others. I have been a girl of the "North Country" all 53 years of my life, and Dylans lyrics have always resonated with me. If he truely hated Hibbing at some time in his life,and wanted to escape or pretend no relationship, I and many others can resonate with that sentiment as well. For better or worse, everywhere Dylan has called home, is a part of his story, and his time in Hibbing is part of our story. Many of us backwoods "northerners" are honored to know that such a voice could come from any of our little northern towns,even Hibbing. Dylans music was the perfect fit for this picture,and more Dylan would have made this soundtrack even more relevent in my opinion. (from "very near "Hibbing")

Dylan's new song Ask Ol Bill is as good if not better than Things Have Changed...He sings in a John Wesley Harding style...limited but nonetheless clear throated that is easy on the ear..This song just chugs along with great images worthy of the best from Dylan..There are previously released Dylan songs on this cd plus songs from other artists...Warren Zevon's Werewolf..still a hoot, the two corny country songs I just don't like...But I did not see the movie so they may bring some appropriate comic relief to the script...??? If you are Dylan fan, you gotta get this cd just for Ask Ol Bill....

I was happy to receive the CD in the original case. I appreciate how soon we received the CD as well. Very satisfied. Thanks.

Kicks butt, this soundtrack. Has two of my top 5 Dylan songs, "Sweetheart like you" and "Lay Lady Lay". I prefer the version of "Girl from North Country" Dylan did with Johnny Cash, but the one on the soundtrack is listenable. Great song from the Scorsese film "Color of Money"--Werewolves of London, that you can hardly find anywhere else.

I bought this for Cat Powers Path to Victory. she has a very hypnotic voice. I play just that song over & over & would prefer a CD with just her singing.

I really enjoyed this soundtrack and would recommend it to anyone, however, I would like to sound off for a minute on the Amazon review of the soundtrack. Bob Dylan was indeed from Minnesota, he was actually from Hibbing, which is the town where "North Country" takes place. However, Bob Dylan hated Hibbing and Hibbing hated Bob Dylan. I personally thought it was a bit lame that they titled the movie "North Country" as it is a song that Bob Dylan first wrote and recorded. Considering Dylan's tumultuous history with Hibbing and the fact that the movie takes place over thirty years after he left, it seemed that the titling the movie after the song attempted to make a connection that simply didn't exist. I was pleased however, that the song is included only in the background of one scene and that it is sung by another artist. I just don't think it's necessary to detract from the film's main point by making yet ANOTHER Bob Dylan connection. As a Minnesotan with several friends from Hibbing, I know we would all appreciate it if comments like "there should be more Bob Dylan on this soundtrack" would be reserved for those of us who are actually entitled to an opinion on the matter, namely the people who understand the historical background of Dylan's relationship with our state.