Customer Reviews

Talk to Her (Score)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Hey, I was as surprised as anyone else to see Caetano pop out of nowhere in this creepy-but-classy Pedro Almodovar film... and his version of "Cucurrucucu Paloma" is as charming and transcendent a performance as you could ever ask for. Okay, so now a bunch of people are wondering which Caetano albums to buy that sound similar in tone to that song. Of the top of my head, I'd recommend acoustically-oriented records such as 1975's "Coisa" and "Joia," and particularly the more recent European concert album, "Omaggio A Federico E Guilietta," which features Caetano playing with pretty much the same ensemble as seen in the film, and has the same subtle cultural spendor. It also features avant-pop cellist Jacques Morelenbaum, who has been Caetano's bandleader for the last decade or so. They're certainly all favorites of mine.

This is the best original score I have heard in a while for one of the best movies I have seen recently. The music is haunting, pensive, beautiful, and more, and sets the tone perfectly for the themes and issues in the movie. Caetano Veloso's performance is stunning in the movie, and the song sounds not quite, but almost, as beautiful here without the accompanying visual. Talk To Her evokes a singular tone and feeling for its audience, and now that I have heard the soundtrack on its own, I realize that Almodovar owes much to his composer, Iglesias, in this regard.

Most film music is only written to underscore a scene, set the mood or raise tensions. It is the poor stepchild of films. Yet some film directors realize that music can make or break their film. Pedro Almodovar is one of these. He is a traditionalist, a formalist director whose ideas about the importance of Music in Film he shares with the directors of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Alberto Iglesias has composed the lions share of the music for "Talk to Her" that not only plays an integral part of the film in which it is featured but can stand alone on it's own merits as emotional and beautiful and of course evocative of the filmed images of Almodovar's breathtaking film.
One of the most awe-inspiring Musical interludes in any film in recent memory is included here: Gaetano Veloso's studio recording of "Cucurrucucu Paloma." It is excellent of course but the live version from the film would have been preferable.
Put this CD on, open a bottle of Allende Rioja Reserva, slice some Chorizo and Manchego and immerse yourself in the glories of Iglesias's music.

This soundtrack has a great mix of different styles, courtesy of Alberto Iglesias and such well known artists as Caetano Veloso and Vicente Amigo.

In addition to just great music, the tracks really take you back to the specific scenes in the movie from which they are taken. For instance "El Amante Menguante" immediate took my mind back to that crazy (but strangely appropriate) shrinking lover silent film. Also, "The Plaint: O Let Me Weep", For Ever Weep" brought back the opening scene perfectly (a little strange that they stuck it at the end of the soundtrack)

The title track by Vicente Amigo and El Pele is amazing - it's almost painful to hear the "duende" in El Pele's voice.

I definitely recommend it.

Alberto Iglesias' music very much constitutes part of the soul of all recent movies by Spanish genius Pedro Almodovar. But in "Talk To Her" Iglesias simply pushed the envelope to new levels of lyrical beauty. When you listen to the album, not only can you perfectly relive moments of the movie. You also wonder if some of the scenes in it would have had the same life in them, had they not contained a piece of this emotionally charged score. His work is that powerful and touching.

Those already acquainted with Iglesias' music will find the work of Japanese composer Shigeru Umebayashi equally refreshing, in particular his scores for the movies "2046" and "House of Flying Daggers". Those new to Iglesias are bound to fall in love with his music when they listen to "Talk To Her", easily his best album and one of the best scores in a very long time.

I really enjoyed the movie and while the sound track is wonderful, it doesn't include the song that compelled me to order the sound track. Disappointingly, I have no idea what it was and don't know how to find out. This is not the first time that a movie offers a sound track but the song that elicits one to purchase it is not included. This is my last attempt at this futile exercise.

Since seeing the movie and purchasing the soundtrack album, I find that this CD is almost always the "go to" album when I'm in the mood for something calming, yet musically challenging. From opening to end, the music is like a single voyage that takes the listener to various ports of interest for just a few minutes at a time. But it's the voyage itself that's memorable. Barber, Rodgrigo, and Purcell all on the same cruise. My favorite album for months.

Iglesias's music captures perfectly the different moments of a great movie, and it stands quite well on its own. "El Amante Lenguante," which constitutes the full soundtrack to the mini silent movie within "Talk to Her," is one of the most inventive tracks. Caetano Veloso's performance of "Cuccuruccu Paloma" captures one of the best moments of the film itself and is another welcome addition to the soundtrack.

I recently rented the movie and liked it. But I fell in love with the soundtrack. As an artist, I find that emotionally evocative music helps me make better paintings. What I am feeling as I work shows up on the canvas. This CD is as valuable to me as a really great brush.

I typically enjoy Almodovar's movies quite a bit --- they are visually stunning but most importantly, the musical scores really complete the tragedies and drama that take place. "Talk to Her" is no exception. The best part of this soundtrack (and I disagree with one of the other reviewers) is that each track CAN be taken out of context of the movie and still be independent of one another (which is something that is oftentimes difficult to achieve with soundtracls) It's the perfect CD for one of those melancholic/Almodovar-esque days.