Rome represents the five-year collaborative effort from Danger Mouse (whose credits include The Gray Album, Gnarles Barkley, and Broken Bells) and Italian composer Daniele Luppi. Born out of their mutual appreciation for music from Spaghetti Westerns (a western film sub-genre that surfaced in the mid-60s), Rome is the soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t exist. Not only recorded in vintage Italian studios, Rome boasts many of the Italian musicians that recorded the original 60s movie soundtracks. And, oh yeah. Rome also features vocals from Jack White and Norah Jones.
Sounds Like:
Danger Mouse & Co. meld classic sounds with contemporary style to create a soundtrack to the most beautiful, twisted movie you’ll never see
Musically, Rome flows like a soundtrack. Much of the album is instrument driven, which in this case, includes the same instruments that recorded the original soundtracks (from strings, organs, xylophones, bells, timpanis, etc. to acoustic and electric guitars with wah pedals). Danger Mouse and Luppi use this talent pool to their advantage, creating a number of different moods, sounds and themes as Rome unfolds like a movie, as intended.
Key Tracks:
The Rose With the Broken Neck, Season’s Trees, Two Against One, The Gambling Priest, Problem Queen, The World
Though Rome does not tell a story per se, there are some common themes, both musically and lyrically. Rome’s lyrics cover a broad gamut of the human condition (life, love, angst, loneliness, etc.) tinged with a dark overtone. Vocally, White and Jones play different characters (with no apparent story), adding to the ebb and flow of the album. Both singers have multiple vocal lines going at the same time during their appearances. This is excellently executed, and to a very eerie effect — some of Jack White’s lower-register vocals sound especially spooky on “The Rose With the Broken Neck.” Songs featuring Jones are considerably upbeat, though no less dark. Jones’ hazy vocals are a stark contrast to White’s angsty yelling. The two never appear together on the same song throughout the album, adding to the image of two characters (say… in a movie?).
Music video for “Two Against One”
Best Lyric:
The world is an open book / Take a look / Welcome to your own views / Your greed is your own hangman’s noose - “The World”
Though I was only vaguely aware of Spaghetti Westerns were before I dived into this album, I was intrigued by the idea. After listening, I have gained some respect for the genre, let alone the musicians. Rome is a very crisp, clean and entertaining album, though heavily reliant on instruments (as vocalists only appear on six of fifteen tracks). This approach may not find broad appeal, but Rome further showcases Danger Mouse’s ability to blend classic sounds into contemporary music and is a great album for fans of those involved in this project.
Overall Rating:
