Search - Dwight Yoakam :: South of Heaven West of Hell

Daniel T. (alternadan) from MILWAUKEE, WI
Reviewed on 7/14/2006...

Some nice instrumental stuff, particularly a haunting melody that runs throughout the film ... too bad Dwight has to ruin it by singing...

Country Music for the Soul

K. Coleman | Phoenix, AZ United States | 10/29/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's very difficult to come up with new words for "excellence" when it comes to discussing the works of Dwight Yoakam.
In the "companion soundtrack" to his movie "South of Heaven, West of Hell," Mr. Yoakam once again raises the bar of superior craftsmanship that has characterized his work since the beginning of his career.
This album is not truly a "soundtrack" as that word is defined, and certainly not as most soundtracks are. The songs presented on this disc are, for the most part, not in the movie at all. Instead, as Mr. Yoakam has claimed, they are merely meant to capture the feel of the film-he has presented here a study of his main character's thoughts, feelings, and actions.
But quite aside from the film, the "companion soundtrack" is Dwight Yoakam's brilliance displayed on yet another level, and stands alone exceptionally well.
The disc begins with "Words," which actually is the theme song of the movie. Here, Dwight Yoakam has presented the actual lyrics to this song (which do not appear in the movie): "Words are not my friend ... they'll watch as you stumble, then laugh when you fall." Lyrically, it is cynical; musically it is soaring, inspirational, and sets the tone for the disc to come.
Each song is a nod to Mr. Yoakam's own spirituality, his sense of the otherworldly, and his reverence for the topic. There are 10 songs, of which Dwight himself wrote (or co-wrote) six. The other four are traditional gospel hymns, bluegrass/Appalachian-style old time music which, here presented, demonstrate that Mr. Yoakam is indeed a Kentucky hillbilly, Hollywood trappings aside.
After "Words" is the traditional "Who at the Door is Standing," a duet with Bekka Bramlett. The arrangement is bluesy, the delivery powerful. Ms. Bramlett is an exceptionally strong vocalist, and her voice merges well with Dwight's. Now we have been set up, so we are led to "Tears for Two," which Dwight wrote with Holly Lamar. It's a spritely number, one he has been presenting in concert during this 2001 tour; while containing Dwight's very distinctive and unmistakable vocals, it's also quite different from his usual psycho-billy hot-country honky-tonk style.
"The Darkest Hour," a traditional gospel tune, is presented here in a very clear, stripped-down, bluegrass style, just a jangle of banjo and guitar, a little percussion. This is another tune Mr. Yoakam has been doing in the 2001 tour, and while I have to say the live version-particularly after September 11-has more poignancy, I am becoming very fond of the simple, heartfelt version presented here on the disc.
"The First Thing Smokin'" is back to Dwight as we've seen him before-hard rockin' country, just this side of the Alabama/Georgia bad boys, but the lyrics remain true to the overall gospel feel of the album: "I ran all night with the damned and the wicked/Tryin' to break out into the clear."
"What's Left of Me" pairs writer Dwight with an unusual partner: Mick Jagger co-wrote this shufflin' honky-tonk tune with Mr. Yoakam, as though to prove he's perfectly justified in wooing that "Honky Tonk Woman" of his. Although this is a favorite track of mine, personally, I think it may actually have been better suited to "Tomorrow's Sounds Today," as it is a straight-up country love song. Still, this appears to be the "section of the movie" where love is proving triumphant, for the next song is "Somewhere," a solo-penned effort that speaks to the longing heart, searching for that one true companion of happiness.
The final three songs return to the gospel sound, with Dwight's own "The Last Surrender," "No Future in Sight," and the traditional "It Is Well With My Soul." Mr. Yoakam is vocally strong in each track, standing on the final note of "It Is Well" in a combination of pride and reverence for just long enough so that it lifts the spirit and carries the listener into the final, jazzy instrumental version of "Words," which rolled over the final credits of "South of Heaven," to quietly lower us back to earth.
Sandwiched between the songs are snippets of dialog, set pieces from the film, some of them fairly important lines; others that merely capture the dark humor and sense of absurdity that typify the whole of the film.
As a whole, the companion soundtrack album is very nearly perfectly conceived and executed. As always, Mr. Yoakam's backup band is in top form, demonstrating even more of their talent as Dwight himself takes a hand at dobro and hot lead guitarist Pete Anderson shows his skill at baritone guitar, percussion, banjo, and mandolin. In his normal manner, Dwight Yoakam looks away from the Nashville faux-country cookie-cutter sound and makes his own shape. He walks his own road and pays no attention to "what sells," and as such, his music stays as true and real and strong; no, far, FAR stronger, than anything being played on country radio today, as of course, not one of these songs will be heard on country radio. This is country radio's loss, and your gain if you buy this album."

Spiritual beauty from Yoakam

10/15/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Just when you think have Dwight Yoakam pegged, he goes and throws you a curve ball. Well, as long as the curve ball is as good as his newest CD is, long-time fans have nothing to complain about. This CD is labeled as a soundtrack and bears the same name as his recent Western film, although only two of the tracks on the CD are actually on the film's soundtrack. These are the first and last tracks, both entitled Words, with the second a jazzy instrumental version of the first, a gentle, elegaic tune. The remaining songs are, as the CD's cover note states, "inspired by" the film's themes of life, death, and redemption. These themes represent new ground for Yoakam, whose music tends to focus on the tribulations of love. The CD also includes Yoakam's stunning interpretations of gospel-inspired country, demonstrating that, some fifteen years into his recording career, Yoakam maintains the capacity to expand his musical horizons and surprise -- and yes, delight -- his fans.
The harder-rocking country tracks on the CD are excellent and allow a certain Guitar God by the name of Pete Anderson several glorious moments. This is exactly what any fan of Yoakam would expect, especially when his co-writers include Mick Jagger (that old honky-tonk guy) and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. Especially delightful are Somewhere and First Thing Smokin' -- listen for Yoakam to momentarily verve off into an early Beatles hit in the middle of this track. But what really makes this album stand out are the spirituals, both traditional tunes and those written by Yoakam himself. One of them is The Darkest Hour (Is Just Before the Dawn). Yoakam is performing this song on his current tour, and the song's lyrics have gained great timeliness in light of the great national tragedy of September 11th. Bekka Bramlett lends superb support on Who At the Door Is Standing, a great upbeat tune which comes across as the kind of hillbilly gospel that Yoakam might have heard in an Appalachian church as a child.
But perhaps the best track on the album is It Is Well With My Soul. Sung with only a piano accompaniment, It Is Well With My Soul has to be one of Yoakam's finest performances. In it, he bares a part of his personality, his personal spirituality, which has previously remained mostly private, in a virtuoso, soaring performance. Yoakam has superior vocal abilities, with his effortless phrasing and distinctive, silvery tone, but here he simply outdoes himself. He is sometimes criticized for an aloof, standoffish presence on the stage, but in this performance, he communicates with passion. The beauty of it is that he manages to do that with the simplest of musical arrangements. That is real genius."