Crazy Heart (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

iTunes Review

Though Jeff Bridges’ grizzled protagonist in Crazy Heart looks and even sings like Americana adonis Kris Kristofferson, Bad Blake was also inspired by Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard. Initially, director Scott Cooper wanted to make a biopic on Haggard, but rights to the country music legend’s life story were not available, so he instead wrote this trio of influential characters into the adaptation of the same-named 1987 novel by Thomas Cobb. The film also serves as a dedication to Texas troubadour Stephen Bruton who passed away from cancer months after writing the songs that Bridges sings here. And with T-Bone Burnett’s timeless touch in production, it’s not so surprising how good Bridges sounds. Whether he’s crooning a love song like the opening “Hold On You” as though he’s been doing it all his life or rootsy, rowdy, roadhouse stompers like the instantly likeable “Somebody Else” as well as straight-up country-rock numbers like “Fallin’ & Flyin’” — he sounds authentic enough to sit naturally alongside twangy classics by Buck Owens, the Louvin Brothers, Kitty Wells, George Jones and others.