With Rome it becomes official, Brian “Danger Mouse” Burton is the Quentin Tarantino of modern music, jumping from genre to genre, putting his own twist on classic sounds. Most often credited for his production work, Burton has become a well rounded artist since recording 2003′s underground classic, Ghetto Pop Life, with a still-mostly-unknown emcee named Jemini. He’s a musician, producer, actor, director and, in a way, a frontman. An auteur, really. Having produced records for Gorillaz, MF Doom, The Rapture, Sparklehorse, Gnarls Barkley, Damon Albarn, The Black Keys, Beck, Broken Bells and now U2, the man once only known for his Beatles/Jay-Z mash-up record has proven himself to be three things: 1) reliable, as just about everything he touches sells quite well; 2) diverse, working with an unlikely batch of artists over the years; and 3) prolific, having produced 20 full length albums in under nine years, most of which feature a big, big sound.
Rome, a Spaghetti Western-inspired full-length Burton recorded over three or so years with Italian Composer Daniele Luppi, plays through like a lost late-60s film score, mixing the obvious influence of Ennio Morricone’s signature sound with elements of operatic pop, symphonic rock and instrumental hip-hop. We hear harpsichord, hammond organs, celesta, choirs and strings, all combining to create a widescreen sound that passes quickly and softly, background music for the modern listener. Two World Class guest stars pop up in Norah Jones and Jack White, each featured as lead vocalists on three tracks a piece. Also along for the ride is legendary Italian choir Cantoi Moderni (once featured on the soundtrack for Sergio Leone’s The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) and opera singer Edda Dell’Orso (who sang in Leone’s films), adding to the authenticity already established by Luppi’s involvement.
So how then, we wonder, does a project like this come together? Who’d have ever believed that a soundtrack for an imaginary film from the 1970s would be a featured title on Big Box end caps around the country? Easy: it all comes back to Paste Magazine’s pick for Producer of the Decade, Brian Burton, the man responsible for an endless number of hit songs (including chart-busting hits “Crazy” and “Feel Good, Inc.”), critical love, notable awards and, most importantly, oddball collaborations. Determined to keep their record as authentic as possible, Burton and Luppi assembled a super band of Italian players, next booking time at one of Morricone’s old studios, where everyone assembled and began working on the record. From there, Luppi and Burton wrote the songs; Luppi conducted the choir and orchestra; and Burton wrote lyrics and produced the sessions.
What we end up with is a chill-out record with a big – though subtle – sound. While the vibe here is certainly cinematic and dusty in a Leone sort of way, I can’t help but think of bands like Zero 7, Air and Nightmares on Wax, all of whom have released records that share many of the characteristics that make Rome tick. Tossed in the mix of sweet and epic arrangements are White and Jones, whose vocals add a pop element to the recordings. Lead single “The Rose with the Broken Neck,” featuring White’s croon, is an instantly likable track that could easily be featured in a future James Bond film; meanwhile the dreamy – and poppy – “Season’s Trees,” featuring Jones, sounds very much like it could’ve come from Stuart Murdoch’s still-recent God Save the Girl project. “Black,” also featuring Jones, is one of the standout cuts from the record, featuring a 70s psych vibe before turning into a jazzy pop song.
Closer “The World,” featuring White, is a big and memorable composition that has the feel of a closing credits track, stocked with all the bells in Rome, big string arrangements and plenty of choral swoons. It’s the best song on a record full of memorable, hazy moments. Clocking in at 35 minutes over 15 tracks, Rome is just the right amount of music, never coming off as boring or indulgent. A passion project done right.
74/100
