Just recently when discussing composer Mychael Danna‘s excellent score for the humanist sports drama, “Moneyball,” we lamented the fact that writing about soundtracks isn’t always easy, as often they’re not the sexiest topic in the world. However, maybe we’ll be putting that theory to the test in the fall of 2011.
Another great soundtrack becomes available digitally tomorrow, David Wingo‘s haunting and moody score to one of the better films of the year so far, “Take Shelter,” starring Jessica Chastain and Michael Shannon. Known in indie-rock circles for his work in the atmospheric and folky outfit Ola Podrida, plus his collaborations with former American Analog Set founder Andrew Kenny on his new project, The Wooden Birds, Wingo first caught The Playlist’s ear in 2000 for his moving acoustic work on David Gordon Green‘s remarkable debut, “George Washington” (he would go on to score “All the Real Girls” with Michael Linnen, would join forces with electronic artist Lusine, aka Jeff McIlwain, for 2007’s “Snow Angels” and the duo are also scoring Green’s “The Sitter” which arrives in December, Wingo also wrote the music to Jared Hess‘ “Gentlemen Broncos“).
Directed by Jeff Nichols, “Take Shelter” is an unforgettable drama and an incredibly chilling look at madness and genuine apocalyptic fears (read our review from Sundance earlier this year). The picture moves in like a bad storm rising, a reckoning about to unravel and Wingo’s textured and disquieting score does wonders to set that unsettling mood.
It’s early in the year and hard to tell how things will shake out, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see this the film land on many of our writer’s top-ten lists. Due digitally on September 28th, the 21-track “Take Shelter” soundtrack is easily going to end up as of our favorites of 2011 list. An audio sampler is below and you can purchase the disc here on Amazon.
“Take Shelter” opens this weekend, September 30, in limited release.
“Take Shelter” tracklist:
1. Opening
2. Signing
3. Going To Work
4. Dog Attack
5. Dreams
6. Doghouse
7. Kidnap
8. Library
9. Under Siege
10. Take Shelter
11. Pills
12. Hallucination
13. Pumping Gas
14. Lightning
15. Building The Shelter
16. Medicating
17. Lion’s Club
18. Bird Attack
19. Storm Shelter
20. At The Beach
21. Shelter – Ben Nichols
[via Film Music Reporter]
Ola Podrida — “Your Fathers’s Basement” via Pitchfork
He and Michael Linnen wrote awesome music for David Gordon Green\’s early films and Wingo scored Snow Angels as well.