21 March 2010
Crazy Heart: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
24/03/10 20:35 Filed in: Country
Released January 19, 2010, New West Records.
Reviewed by Mike Attebery
When Jeff Bridges gave his Oscar acceptance speech this month, I couldn’t stop thinking how much he really was The Dude. When I saw him perform a song, completely off the cuff, shortly before Conan O’Brien had The Tonight Show stolen from him, I couldn’t stop thinking 1.) That if he wanted to, Bridges could steal Kris Kristofferson’s identity and take to the country music circuit (especially now that Kristofferson spends the majority of his time making lousy movies), and 2.) That Bridges could just as easily set out on a country music career in his own right. Not only that, but as his 'Crazy Heart' character Bad Blake put it, he wouldn’t just play country, he’d play real country. None of that big black hatted nonsense Garth Brooks and Miley Cyrus’ pappy play, but the honest to God Highwaymen-style country of yore. The stuff Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Johnny Paycheck played so well. If you don’t believe me (though I find that impossible if you’ve seen the movie), just pick up the Crazy Heart Soundtrack and see for yourself. Nestled between classics like “Hello Trouble,” “My Baby’s Gone,” and “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” you’ll find an assortment of five songs performed by Bridges himself, and the fact that you’ll never once pause the record to ask, “Hey, is that him playing that song?!!" is a testament to how convincing and truly genuine his renditions of these new tunes (crafted with the help of T Bone Burnett) really are. When you throw in the sublime closer, “The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart), you have the perfect return to the classic country well.If you haven’t visited in a while, then drink up!