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Credits

Citadel Records
19 January 1999 (US)

A film by Paul Schrader
Music composed by Michael Brook

Jason Lewis: drums
Elizabeth Weinstein: French Horn
Turtle Island String Quartet: Strings
Michael Brook: infinite guitar, bass & keyboards

Produced for Citadel by Michael Brook
Mixed by Bill Jackson and Michael Brook
String recording and film mixes at the Music Annex
Additional mixing and mastering at The Lavenderia
Graphic Design: Mathew Dalessi

Tracks

1. Opening Titles  6'14
2. Late Night Phone  1'47
3. Crossing Guard  0'46
4. Hunting  1'09
5. Flashback  2'43
6. Late Night Conspiracy  2'10
7. Autodentismo  5'08
8. Resignation  4'06
9. Chase  5'10
10. Night Flashback  2'20
11. Wade Goes Wild  2'52
12. Worries  4'23
13. Homestead  2'33
14. Marge  4'35
15. Barn  4'50
16. Close Refrain  3'21

total duration: 55'20

Notes

 

A track-by-track review by Breakdown correspondent Richard Peat
February 1999

Firstly the whole album has a fresh, demo quality in its recording, the other end of the spectrum from the 'over' produced Cobalt Blue.

1. Opening Titles (6.14) Atmospheric, layered synthesisers lead in to the track. A French horn brings in a theme which is then picked up by acoustic guitar. This is backed by drone synthesisers and infinite guitar. The theme changes with the addition of the string quartet and then returns with slowly crescendoing synth drones. No percussion.

2. Late Night Phone (1.47) Another atmospheric piece, which introduces a theme repeated throughout much of the soundtrack. Here it is played by acoustic guitar and electric guitar in a duet over a synth background. Later in the track is a cello solo. The track reminds me of Clapton's soundtrack work.

3. Crossing Guard (0.46) A Dissonant string quartet and infinite guitar interlude.

4. Hunting (1.06) A traditional Durrutti Column guitars over infinite guitar. (Do you know Vini Reilly's Durrutti Column?)

5. Flashback (2.43) A very dissonant, improvisational soundscape leading into the string quartet using Brook's style of as few note changes as possible. Eerie.

6. Late Night Conspiracy (2.10) Slower repeat of the guitar theme from 2 here played on electric guitar backed by infinite guitar.

7. Autodentismo (5.08) Your guess is as good as mine as to what the title means. I guess you have to watch the film. Another dissonant piece building on from 5. The string quartet sound here reminds me of Williams' Close Encounters music.

8. Resignation (4.06) Deep bass synth intro leading into a guitar and string quartet reworking of the 2 theme.

9. Chase (5.10) Slow string quartet intro which gains the first percussion on the album. As the title suggests the drums are fast (some great playing by Jason Lewis, who also played percussion on Albino Alligator) and are augmented by a bit of 'heavy' guitar 'noise' (I'm guessing this is how Brook sounded between tracks on the M&M tour). The percussion and guitar too quickly fades back to leave the strings and then returns to end the track.

10. Night Flashback (2.20) Vibrato synths into guitar 2 theme repeat.

11. Wade Goes Wild (2.52) Fast percussion with even heavier guitar playing and bass synthesisers for the first half of the track (the heaviest Brook as like The Kicker). Leads into drum solo bridge and ends on dissonant strings.

12. Worries (4.23) A vibrato synth intro to slow bass drum to beautiful acoustic guitar piece developed from the 2 theme. Simple but very effective. It's great when you can even hear the fretboard creaking. Like having Brook sit in the room with you.

13. Homestead (2.33) Slowly crescendoing, improvisational soundscape with string quartet.

14. Marge (4.35) Cobalt Blue bass guitar playing 2 theme with string quartet backing.

15. Barn (4.50) String quartet develops track 7 with a slow drum building into the French Horn theme from 1with a crescendoing synth backing. Again sticks to Brook's rule of why have 120 notes when 1 will do.

16. Close Titles (3.21) Opening Titles repeat.

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