About a Boy [SOUNDTRACK]

Badly Drawn Boy

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 9, 2004)
• Original Release Date: May 17, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Xl Recordings
• ASIN: B000062Y44
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #92,081 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Q Magazine - 4 out of 5 stars
"...Original and gladdening music..." Included in Q Magazine's "The 50 Best Albums of 2002."

Product Description
What's a budding musical genius to do in the pent-up lull between albums? Mercury Prize-winning singer-songwriter Badly Drawn Boy (nee Damon Gough), in his spare time between heralded debut THE HOUR OF BEWILDERBEEST, and a follow-up to be released later in 2002, approached the filmmakers adapting Nick Hornby's acclaimed novel ABOUT A BOY about the soundtrack for the film starring Hugh Grant. There's no question to the logic of the combination as Gough's sublimely literate, disaffected yet still charmingly breezy pop music fits the story of life's apparent losers at two stages of life, one an apathetic womanizer approaching his 40s, the other a bullied misfit boy passing into his teens, between whom an unlikely friendship ensues. A folky singer/songwriter scoring songs to help set the tone of a movie about unlikely friendship could stir up memories of Cat Stevens's unreleased soundtrack for "Harold & Maude," a fair enough assessment. In a similar fashion (but in its own way), Badly Drawn Boy's take on ABOUT A BOY weaves a mournful, yet upbeat tapestry drawing from its source material while managing to enrich the story itself. There are even some pop megahit hooks such as in the rolling "Silent Sigh" and in the head-bobbing, ostensible theme song "Something To Talk About."

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars About A Badly Drawn Boy, November 9, 2004

By	E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Badly Drawn boy tackled a different kind of project in this album -- the soundtrack for the amusing movie adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel, "About A Boy." His blend of melodic folk-pop and all-too-brief instrumentals are just like the novel -- bright, breezy and subtle. What's even better? "About A Boy Soundtrack" is just as good when separated from the film.

It opens with a sunny piano melody, just a cute little ditty that doesn't last half a minute. Then it shifts into the mellow, sharp keyboard pop of "A Peak You Reach," before blossoming into a blend of poppy folk (the soothing "Something To Talk About" and fun "River Sea Ocean") and folky pop (the slightly eerie "Silent Sigh and bouncy "File Me Away").

Sprinkled through these are instrumental interludes, some less than a minute long. But despite their brevity, these little instrumentals manage to feel well-rounded and full. One a particular highlight is "Delta (Little Boy Blues)," an enchanting pop tune augmented by horns and what sounds like an organ.

No wonder Nick Hornby wanted Badly Drawn Boy (real name: Damon Gough) for the soundtrack to "About a Boy." While there are occasional lapses -- "S.P.A.T" is a fragmented electronic mess -- the mellow, autumnal sound of this soundtrack is just entrancing. Yes, the Hugh Grant movie about a Peter-Pannish thirtysomething was good -- but the music alone is a prize.

Gough is to be commended for having his songs "flow" into one another -- it feels a bit like a sprawling, many-toned song that has been carefully divided into bits and pieces, then stitched back together. It doesn't have the experimental feel of his non-soundtrack albums, but the delicate piano, guitar, strings, harmonica and blazing brass blend into a smooth, mellow sound.

Gough's voice sounds sort of... well, timid, as if he doesn't want to make it too prominent in the music. But his voice is a pleasant voice, almost childlike in its exuberance and emotion. Which makes his sometimes melancholy songs sound even more so, when he sings almost pleadingly, "Silent sigh, silent sigh silent sigh/Keeps down all move me down/Could we love each other?"

It's no "Hour of Bewilderbeast." Instead, this breezy pop album is "About A Boy," a "bewilderbeast" in its own category. Badly Drawn Boy's second release is a thoroughly pretty, sweet and often entrancing creation. Bravo, Damon.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, As Usual!, December 21, 2004

By	Amy L. Brown (IL, USA) - See all my reviews

BDB is incredible. He shows his talent and versatility in this album, which is SO much more than your typical soundtrack. If you've seen the movie, you will realize how much his songs reflect the mood and plot. However, even if you haven't, it stands alone as a wonderful album. Kudos to one of the ONLY original artists on the music scene today!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Badly Drawn Boy Makes Magic Again, December 13, 2005

By	Dale Allison "thedarksarix" - See all my reviews

This is the fourth BDB album I've bought and it's simply an amazingly brillant piece of musicianship. I've listened to this album a ridiculous amount of times and I never cease to enjoy every song on here. BDB finds a perfect balance mixing quirky instrumental tracks with an equal number of wonderful vocal pieces, creating an album rarely surpassed by musicians today. With enticing lyrics and catchy tunes, the soundtrack to "About a Boy" will please its buyers and delight any who take a moment to listen to BDB work his magic.