There is plenty to like about the first season of ABC’s prime-time drama Nashville. The centerpiece, of course, is music. Actors Connie Britton (Rayna James), Hayden Panettiere (Juliette Barnes), Charles Esten (Deacon Clayborne), Clare Bowen (Scarlett O’Connor), Sam Palladino (Gunnar), and others actually perform the songs in the series backed by a host of ace studio players. T Bone Burnett is Nashville’s music producer, and he’s enlisted some of Music City’s finest songwriters and the help of longtime friend Buddy Miller to co-produce (and perform on) most of the songs here.
The end result is a collection that provides a compelling argument that contemporary country music doesn’t need to divorce itself from its history. It also makes a solid case for the radio accessibility of Americana and alt-country. Most of the music here — Britton’s elegant ”Buried Under,” her duet with Panettiere on ”Wrong Song,” and Panettiere’s duet with Esten on ”Undermine” use contemporary country tropes, without sacrificing soul for production sheen. In other words, it’s both the singer and the song that hook a listener.
Virtually all of these instruments (especially drums and percussion) sound warm and natural, and serve to accent and support the vocals rather than overwhelm them. Panettiere’s ”Love Like Mine,” and her performance on the radio mix of ”Telescope” would likely chart if they were released as singles. Americana numbers such as the Civil Wars’ ”If I Didn’t Know Better,” performed by Palladino and Bowen, scored big on YouTube and prompted numerous Twitter conversations. So too the rootsy version of ”Telescope,” performed by Lennon & Maisy Stella (aged nine and twelve, who play Britton’s daughters on the series), with only an acoustic guitar for accompaniment. ”Twist of Barbwire,” performed by Jonathan Jackson (Avery), is a tom-tom and whammy bar-driven rocker with just enough twang to make it walk between rockabilly and alt country. It probably doesn’t hurt that it was written by Elvis Costello. Esten’s ”Sideshow” is a lovely ballad that walks dead center between Americana and contemporary country.
Usually, soundtracks for television shows are a mixed bag at best. The Music of Nashville is a very notable exception.
$ 9.55
‘Fade Into You’ is Missing,
There is a round sticker on the front of the shrink wrapped CD that says the song “Fade Into You,” only the best song of the season (imo), is on this CD. Just so you know … it’s not. And it should have been. What gives? (Wonder if song rights were pulled at the last minute?)
Other than that (which is a major one to me .. the song should have been included), it’s a good CD.
Post T-Bone Burnett Post: Thank you so much for making it right. You didn’t have to do it … but I so appreciate that you did. YOU are the reason the music so good on the show. You’re gift of song selection has never been more apparent than on this project. The artists are fantastic, but it all starts with great material. You, sir, are the master at finding good material. Hats off to you!!
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|Nashville: Volume One,
I’m not the biggest country music fan, but I have enjoyed watching Nashville each week, so naturally I bought the soundtrack.
Why did I give it only four stars?
Well, it is missing the best song, Fade Into You, from the series! I wonder why it wasn’t included! Maybe it was only on the deluxe version that I saw in a Target ad. The problem is that I don’t have a Target near by. It would have been nice it the producers released all 29 songs from the first eight episodes onto a two-disc set.
Overall, I loved the eleven songs that are on the Volume One Soundtrack.
The Complete Track List:
1. Buried Under (3:03/ Connie Britton)
2. If I Didn’t Know Better (2:57/ Sam Palladio, Clare Bowen)
3. Undermine (3:59/ Hayden Panettiere, Charles Esten)
4. Sideshow (3:03/ Charles Esten)
5. Wrong Song (3:10/ Connie Britton, Hayden Panettiere)
6. No One Will Every Love You (3:42/ Connie Britton, Charles Esten)
7. Twist of Barbwire (3:04/ Jonthan Jackson)
8. Love Like Mine (3:22/ Hayden Panettiere)
9. Telescope (2:27/ Lennon Stella, Maisy Stella)
10. When The Right One Comes Along (3:49/ Clare Bowen, Sam Palladio)
11. Telescope (Radio Mix/ 3:17/ Hayden Panettiere)
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|Is missing a great song!,
I have been waiting months for this album to come out ever since I heard, “If I Didn`t Know Better” on the pilot. The sticker on the album said it had “Fade Into You” on it, but I was disappointed to find it was not on it. Such a shame. Other than that, there is something for all country/music fans on this album. The beautiful duets between Claire Bowen and Sam Palladino, Hayden Panetierre`s pop-country songs, and Connie Britton`s Martina McBride/Reba-type songs.
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