Rob Price
Gutbrain Records
rob + gutbrain.com = email


2022 September 05 • Monday

For the 742nd Soundtrack of the Week we return to Nick Cave and Warren Ellis and their score for Wind River.

Ellis's violin or viola playing (I think viola) gives "Snow Wolf" a plaintive and gentle voice, set against some synth and strings pads.

The violin is also the main instrument for "Zed", but in a shy mood, while Cave's piano playing works with the strings and delicate electronic instruments to create crystalline surroundings.

"Tell Me What That Is" starts with ethereal tones that are soon joined by soft, keening, wordless vocals and then the violin.

The first sharp, dry sounds come from a plucked violin in "First Journey", backed by misty long tones, gently wailing wordless singing and accompanied by Cave speak-singing poetic lyrics. This cue is revisited by "Second Journey", "Third Journey" and "Three Seasons in Wyoming" also.

Violin, piano and electronics create bewitching lanscapes for "First Body" and "Breakdown" while "Never Gonna Be the Same" uses multiple droning instruments to create almost palpable emotion.

"Hunter" returns to the sounds of "Snow Wolf" and then with "Meth House" we get some new sounds and colors, a blend of electronics and/or electronically manipulated acoustic sounds to create a feeling of dread.

"Bad News" is another piece with Ellis's violin and Cave's piano presenting a simple yet heartfelt melody and chord structure against long tones but each of these pieces has its own moood. This one feels lighter than the title suggests.

"Second Body" is not a reprise of "First Body" but its own world of nocturnal grief suggested by log low tones and a lonely voice singing wordlessly.

More low tones and some very subtle additions of higher notes and a particularly gentle suggestion of sway come together for "Lecture", which leads to a more straightforward-sounding piece in "Corey's Story", with piano and violin prominent.

Piano and violin do most of the work in "See You Tomorrow", a short and tranquil piece, while "Cabin" is almost like ambient industrial avantgarde meditation music.

The "Snow Wolf" theme is revisited in "Shoot Out" and "Snow Flight" is another textural, shadowy cue.

Satie-like chords from the piano and an expressive and lovely violin or viola line combine with restrained use of electronics for "Memory Time", followed by the long tones and string-heavy "Survive or Surrender".

The record concludes with the title track, similar to the "Journey" cues but without words.