The results were memorable--and sometimes haunting--just like the films. For The Straight Story --the G-rated (yes, that's right) tale of an elderly man's epic journey on a John Deere lawnmower to see his sick brother--we get a different side to both the composer and the director once again. Here the orchestrations are atmospheric, but a subtle strain of folk music is evident throughout. "Rose's Theme" is filled with acoustic guitar finger-picking against a string section, "Alvin's Theme" has a fiddle mimicking a locomotive, and "Country Waltz" is just that. "Farmland Tour" is the Twin Peaks theme gone sentimental. A hint of nostalgia, a certain Midwestern innocence, and plenty of vast-sounding passages make this the perfect sonic backdrop for a film set...  (less)

Santaolalla, Warren Zevon, Leo Kottke, Kim Carnes, The Bellamy Brothers, Mac Davis, and Cat Power. "North Country - Music From The Motion Picture" also features Tell Ol' Bill, a new track from Bob Dylan only found on this incredible collection of songs.  (less)

Love" from country outlaw Travis Tritt are highlights. -- Jeff Bateman  (less)

the moment in time when "country" music suddenly went cosmopolitan, paving the way for Garth Brooks. Johnny Lee's "Lookin' for Love" was one of the decade's biggest singles, and this album briefly made a star of Mickey Gilley (whose Texas club provided a home for that alpha bull). Fans of Bob Seger, Jimmy Buffet, the Eagles, Dan Fogelberg, and Bonnie Raitt may want this collection for the tunes they lack elsewhere. And it sure recalls an era. But please don't call it "country." --Bill Holdship  (less)

In this hilariously offensive movie, Borat travels from his primitive home in Kazakhstan to the U.S. to make a documentary. On his cross-country road-trip, Borat meets real people in real situations with hystericalconsequences. The companion CD to the movie features original comedy as well as musical numbers like "Born to be Wild" and "In My Country There Is A Problem" (aka "Throw The Jew Down The Well"). The package will also include five minutes of exclusive video outtakes from the movie.  (less)

Mary Chapin Carpenter (Patty Griffin's "My Dear Old Friend") and India Arie ("Good Man") express the human losses inherent in the conflict, while the pop-country duo Montgomery Gentry offer "Didn't I," the plaint of the returning vet. Much of the rest is inspirational pop of various stripes. Johnny Cash and Dave Matthews team for the ethereal "For You," while Five for Fighting's "The Beautiful" recalls Matthews's most radio-ready tracks. Atmospheric moments from Christian-poppers and up-and-coming Nashville stars complete the package, which is sure to appeal both to fans of the film and those who'll apply the patriotic sentiments to present-day realities. --Bob Roget  (less)

song-score. His previously unreleased ballad "My Little Girl" successfully evokes previous McGraw hits, and he's shrewdly woven it into a collection that echoes the story's themes via the sultry R&B-country fusion of Natasha Bedingfield's "Wild Horses"; a spare, haunting "Rodeo Road" by Holly Williams (granddaughter of Hank Sr.); and the quiet introspection of Gemma Hayes's opening "4:35 A.M." Becki Ryan's "Alive" and "The Things We Don't" by Watertown give the collection a welcome double-shot of country-pop effusiveness, and Donovan's vintage "Catch the Wind" seasons it with timeless folk charm, while McGraw turns his Dancehall Doctors touring band loose to tear up "The Fireman" with live roadhouse swagger. This is a collection that sk...  (less)

response: Shania Twain, Joss Stone, LeAnn Rimes, Macy Gray, Indigo Girls, k.d. lang, and more have each packed the collection with previously-unreleased music. With half of the disc recently-written songs and half covers of old classics, the originals ultimately prove to be the highlight. Shania Twain's "Shoes" is a future line-dancin' classic, analogizing men to shoes ("a girl can't never have too many of 'em"). Joss Stone's "Treat Me Right" is nothing short of sexy, soul perfection, while SheDaisy's performance of the Jann Arden -penned "God Bless the American Housewife" kicks things off in a dark country style. The "who's that girl with the voice?" award goes to Idina Menzel ( Rent , Wicked ) for her powerhouse performance of ...  (less)

Love" from country outlaw Travis Tritt are highlights. -- Jeff Bateman  (less)

This musical journey to the land of moonshine and short shorts kicks off with Simpson (channeling Britney Spears), who purrs her way through a countrified version of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin." From there, the disc settles into straightforward Southern rockville by way of Lynyrd Skynrd, Molly Hatchet, and other bands from the 1970s and '80s, the era of the Dukes of Hazzard television show. (Two notable exceptions are "Burn It Off" by the band formerly known as the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and "Soul City" by Southern Culture on the Skids.) There's little inventiveness and few surprises in this compilation. Songs like "Black Betty," "Call Me the Breeze," and "Pride and Joy" should be so well known to fans that only the desire to h...  (less)

Richey, this collection of songs delivers the goods. Most of the songs here would fall into the category of adult contemporary--Williams's ode to psychotherapy is lyrically incisive and fluffy with harmony, and Howard belts her delicate ballad with the elegant poise of Faith Hill. Individually, most of the songs manage to avoid AC's blandness, especially Shawn Colvin's sweet, wistful retelling of the Beatles' "In My Life," the show's theme song, and Titiyo's tart "Come Along." Yet as a whole, Providence can occasionally be bogged down by its deep sentiments, slow tempos, and monotonous instrumentation, especially near the end of the disc. While not a major flaw, unfortunately it does threaten to overwhelm the sterling songs included ...  (less)

Opening the album is Harry McClintock's 1928 recording of "The Big Rock Candy Mountain," which highlighted the O Brother film, followed by a couple of traditional classics from country's seminal artists--Jimmie Rodgers's "In the Jailhouse Now" and the Carter Family's "Keep on the Sunny Side"--that were revived by others on the hit soundtrack. Five tracks proceed to detail the musical progression of Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass Music, while other staples include the Prairie Brothers' romp through "Shady Grove" and the close harmonies of the Morris Brothers (reminiscent of the better-known Louvin Brothers) on "Salty Dog Blues." Balancing the spiritual uplift of some of the material, the collec...  (less)