AR: O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Various Artists - O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

This dearly loved soundtrack to a dearly loved Coen Bros. film contains a wealth of high quality Depression-era folk Americana mountain music, very little of which was actually recorded in the Depression Era (or, likely, in the mountains). It's a healthy mix of chain-gang spirituals, original era-tinged folk recordings of trad songs, gospel tunes from contemporary artists, blues dirges, and emphatically, ridiculously uplifting folk-cheer up numbers. Great for a low key evening, wholesome dinner music, or just to inform a wider audience of some of the best, most originally American music this side of jazz.

In an almost too good to be fair move, this soundtrack includes three tunes from the divinely-voiced Alison Krauss (she of "If I Could" fame, phans). "Down in the River to Pray" is an a cappella choir gospel chant that, despite its frank repetition with added voices and volume, vibrates with beauty. And because you know, one angel is not enough, in the traditional-sounding folksy number "I'll Fly Away," Krauss is accompanied by Gillian Welch for some delicious simple harmonizing. And because two angels isn't enough - sheesh! - "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby" is another a cappella number featuring a trio of Sirens in Krauss, Welch, and Emmylou Harris. The three tracks are gorgeous, nothing less, and jump off the disc.

The other standouts from the soundtrack are the Soggy Bottom Boys (and other versions) numbers, "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" and "In the Jailhouse Now." Both are featured heavily in the film, the former especially. In one of the weird and perhaps not great moves of the film, "IAaMoCS," a folk traditional, takes up four tracks on this album. Two are instrumental versions which I could have done without, one is an acoustic guitar take that just RIPS - seriously, to take that tune and turn it into borderline snarling 1937 folk punk is pretty cool- and finally, the version featured in the film, the full band Soggy Bottom style. It's extraordinarily difficult to hear that last one without picturing a mugging Clooney leaning out over an RKO-style big mic. "ItJN" is a more familiar, 1930s style radio number, albeit featuring a yodeler. Very good era-music that serves as the central plot element of the film.

Yet another enjoyable subset is the original folk recording, "Big Rock Candy Mountain," and the slew of get-you-through-the-hard-times tunes, "You Are My Sunshine," "Keep on the Sunny Side," and "In the Highways." Infectious is all I've got on those, and just try not to smile at what sounds like some missing their baby teeth harmonizers on "ItH." Their uplifting brightness is starkly balanced by the likes of "Po' Lazarus," a Black prison gang chant, and the chilling "O Death," a solo a cappella wail that sounds as though it were recorded on an apocalyptic dust bowl road somewhere. All of these recordings have a very earthy, natural mix, so despite the contemporary recording environment, it really does feel like an exceptionally clean set of recordings from the '30s.

To be perfectly honest, you have to be in the mood for this genre / period piece. It's slightly annoying that "Constant Sorrow" is so oft repeated, and some of the darker numbers just don't lend themselves to casual listening. Still, this is an indispensable collection of this particular brand of largely forgotten music, and if you have the same kind of fondness for the film that I do, you get the added bonus of funny images popping in your head throughout its spins. The soundtrack pulls off the trick of being fully integrated with the movie, and the Coens have done the world a favor by reopening ears to this excellent slice of music history. Yes, Gordon Gano, I do love American Music. Baby.

Status: Recommended
Nyet's Fave: "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" (Soggy Bottom Boys full band version, but really, that acoustic version kills, too)