Review Summary: "Every gun makes its own tune"
The soundtracks of the Italian spaghetti westerns have inspired many. Their distinct feel and mood have given the movie genre part of it's magic. Two people inspired by the likes of “Ennio Morricone“ are musician and producer Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse) and composer/arranger Daniele Luppi. Luppi, who is Italian, have experience in orchestral music from when he created is acclaimed album “An Italian Story”, which he was done with in 2004. Danger Mouse during that time, was in the post-release of his album “The Grey Album” and in the beginning of producing Gorillaz's album “Demon Days”. In the same year the two met . Spurred by their communal love of the sounds from the westerns, in their gold era of 1960/70, the two to set out to create
Rome.
Five years later, both having bulked up their resumes, they returned to record the album they had set to do. Doing songwriting both apart, together and in the city of Rome they're album was finally done.
The sound of
Rome is a moody, relaxed and haunting experience. Featuring cool rhythms and haunting piano keys, the album is very confident in it's sound. Using choir's and sparse guitar picking when needed to beef up the mood, the album engulfs the listener and keeps it up til' the end. To contrast there are also songs like “Roman Blue” that feature more percussion, bass lines and violins creating a more sweeping and dramatic soundscape.
At 15 tracks and clocking in just around 35 minutes,
Rome is best experienced in one listen.
To give the album an extra injection of energy Jack White and Norah Jones were employed to do vocals. The two do an excellent job, and feel right at home in the album. Jack White, who might just have contributed to the highlight of the album “Two against one”, is a prefect fit for the album not just for his voice but also for his ideals in recording music.
Rome, which has been recorded in the prestigious Forum Studious in Rome (founded by Ennio Morricone and others) was a place where Luppi and Burton could use vintage equipment in order to stay true the albums roots. The album was also record live to tape with no digital effects added. Similar to the way Mr White is doing it, at his Third Man Records in Nashville.
Say what you will about what it adds to the album, but doing it probably helped the duo to capture that specific feel they were aiming for.
Do not only think of
Rome just as some soundtrack to a lost movie but think of it rather as a modern piece of music that was made through means of the past. Rather than trying to make a soundtrack I think the duo was mostly inspired by their childhood. Using their nostalgia in the songwriting process creates requirements that has to be fulfilled. You want it to be like you remember it, it must live up to your own memories.
Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi's
Rome is both light, dark, moving and moody. It's not to be passed up upon even if you never have seen a spaghetti western before.
