- Sun Mar 01, 2015 6:46 pm
#56735
Deep Cut #15
Title: Jeff Grace - Meek's Cutoff (2010)
Label: Blackest Rainbow (BRR238)
Year: 2012
Format: 10"
I love a good American Western. One of my favourite aspects of the genre is the use of environment; vast open plains unspoilt by the modern world; mountains and deserts that swallow our characters.
Kelly Reichardt's Meek's Cutoff (2010) has environment in abundance. The story, set in 1845, follows a group of settlers travelling across Oregon under the stewardship of their guide, the titular Meek. The barren scrubland is unrelenting and unforgiving and as their supplies and patience begin to run out, and with no end to the journey in sight, the group become to question both their guide's competence and motives.
The superb score by Jeff Grace (Cold in July, The House of the Devil, The Inkeepers) is as sparse in it's composition as the bleak landscape. The overall texture of droning strings and ambience perfectly matches the endless vistas and parched palette, and works equally well at conjuring up those images on a solo listen. The constantly shifting ambience gives a real sense of unease and increasing otherworldliness to the travellers' labours.
The only moments of rhythm come from a prepared piano, perhaps in an ironic nod to the upright 'saloon' piano found in more traditional Westerns. Here though, the instrument sounds bowed and beaten, filled with dust, and solemnly picks out chords at the pace of a funeral march.
[video]http://www.milanrecords.com/releases/ME ... Desert.mp3[/video]
The Desert
The score came out in 2012 on a nice dinky 10" from Blackest Rainbow, who also just released the equally atmospheric Blue Ruin. It's still readily available at a good price, and for me is a sorely overlooked mini-masterpiece.
[video]http://www.milanrecords.com/releases/ME ... apture.mp3[/video]
Sighting and Capture
Deep Cut #15
Title: Jeff Grace - Meek's Cutoff (2010)
Label: Blackest Rainbow (BRR238)
Year: 2012
Format: 10"
I love a good American Western. One of my favourite aspects of the genre is the use of environment; vast open plains unspoilt by the modern world; mountains and deserts that swallow our characters.
Kelly Reichardt's Meek's Cutoff (2010) has environment in abundance. The story, set in 1845, follows a group of settlers travelling across Oregon under the stewardship of their guide, the titular Meek. The barren scrubland is unrelenting and unforgiving and as their supplies and patience begin to run out, and with no end to the journey in sight, the group become to question both their guide's competence and motives.
The superb score by Jeff Grace (Cold in July, The House of the Devil, The Inkeepers) is as sparse in it's composition as the bleak landscape. The overall texture of droning strings and ambience perfectly matches the endless vistas and parched palette, and works equally well at conjuring up those images on a solo listen. The constantly shifting ambience gives a real sense of unease and increasing otherworldliness to the travellers' labours.
The only moments of rhythm come from a prepared piano, perhaps in an ironic nod to the upright 'saloon' piano found in more traditional Westerns. Here though, the instrument sounds bowed and beaten, filled with dust, and solemnly picks out chords at the pace of a funeral march.
[video]http://www.milanrecords.com/releases/ME ... Desert.mp3[/video]
The Desert
The score came out in 2012 on a nice dinky 10" from Blackest Rainbow, who also just released the equally atmospheric Blue Ruin. It's still readily available at a good price, and for me is a sorely overlooked mini-masterpiece.
[video]http://www.milanrecords.com/releases/ME ... apture.mp3[/video]
Sighting and Capture