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{{Infobox Album {{Infobox Album
| Name = Big Love: Hymnal | Name = Big Love: Hymnal
| Type = ] | Type = soundtrack
| Artist = David Byrne | Artist = David Byrne
| Cover = David_Byrne_-_Big_Love_Hymnal.jpg‎ | Cover = David Byrne - Big_Love Hymnal.jpg‎
| Released = ], ] | Released = {{Startdate|2008|08|19}}
| Recorded = ], ] | Recorded = ], ], ]
| Genre = ] | Genre = ], ]
| Label = ]/]/] | Label = ]/]/]
| Reviews = *] {{Rating|3|5}} | Reviews = *] {{Rating|3|5}}
*'']'' {{Rating|4|5}}
*'']'' {{Rating|3|4}}
*'']'' {{Rating|3.5|4}}
*] {{Rating|4|5}} *] {{Rating|4|5}}
| Last album = '']''<br />(2008) | Last album = '']'' (with ])<br />(2008)
| This album = '''''Big Love: Hymnal'''''<br />(2008) | This album = '''''Big Love: Hymnal'''''<br />(2008)
| Next album = '']'' <br />(2009) | Next album = '']'' (with ])<br />(2009)
}} }}
'''''Big Love: Hymnal''''' is a soundtrack ] by ] including music composed for the HBO television drama '']''. It was released on ], ]. The album includes a cover of the popular song "]" among other recent compositions, as stated on the album cover. '''''Big Love: Hymnal&nbsp;– Music Written for the HBO Series Plus Other Recent Compositions''''' is a soundtrack ] by ] including music composed for the HBO television drama '']'' released on August 19, 2008. Byrne has written on his journal that it is not "a pop record by any stretch,"<ref name="weblog">{{Cite web |url=http://journal.davidbyrne.com/2007/08/8307-emotional-.html |title=8.3.07: Emotional Emulsifier |author=] |publisher=David Byrne |date=2007-08-03 |accessdate=2009-01-19}}</ref> but a soundtrack featuring lush instrumentation, including ]s and ], with minimal ]. It is the first release by Byrne's ] ], although '']'' was released in digital format one day prior to ''Big Love: Hymnal''.


==Composition==
Byrne has written on his journal that it is not "a pop record by any stretch" but he's proud of it.<ref></ref>
Byrne initially started writing music for the series in fall, 2006.<ref name="emotionalemulsifier">{{Cite web |url=http://journal.davidbyrne.com/2007/08/8307-emotional-.html |title=8.3.07: Emotional Emulsifier |author=] |publisher=David Byrne |date=2007-08-03 |accessdate=2009-01-19}}</ref> He found himself attracted to the moral fascination of ''Big Love'' and identified with the characters in the series and decided to compose half a dozen ]s that would "imply that always aware of the religious underpinnings that they see as supporting their lifestyle and how they behave."<ref name="filter">{{Citation |last=Scrudato |first=Ken |publication-date=December 2007 |title=People Like Us |periodical=] |publication-place=], ] |publisher=] |pages=43 |url=http://www.davidbyrne.com/news/press/articles/Filter_2007_12.pdf |accessdate=2009-01-19}}</ref> To that end, he sought out ] ]s, recordings of ], and read up on the ].<ref name="emotionalemulsifier" /> He was also inspired by the soundtrack work of ] and ].<ref name="emotionalemulsifier" /> He visited the Los Angeles set of the series in early 2007 to talk with the producers about the ]<ref name="spottingsession">{{Cite web |url=http://journal.davidbyrne.com/2007/03/3507_big_love_s.html |title=3.5.07: Big Love (Spotting session) |author=] |publisher=David Byrne |date=2008-03-05 |accessdate=2009-01-19}}</ref> and returned to New York City to continue composing and recording based on what he had seen and the video the producers sent him. The episodes themselves aired from June through August that year and Byrne continued scoring and uploading his music via ], finishing on August 3, 2007.<ref name="emotionalemulsifier" /> In preparing to release the album the following year, Byrne expanded some musical cues and added several hymns that were not included in the series itself.<ref name="howandwhy">{{Cite web |url=http://www.davidbyrne.com/music/cds/big_love_hymnal/howandwhy.php |title=Big Love: Hymnal - How and Why |author=] |publisher=David Byrne |date=2008-05-01 |accessdate=2009-01-19}}</ref>

==Reception==
The album has received overall positive reviews. In a three-and-a-half out of four star review, Simon Cosyns of '']'' wrote that "there are no boundaries to Byrne's work" and called the album "strangely compelling."<ref name="thesun">{{Cite web |url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/sftw/article2006018.ece |title=Something for the Weekend: David Byrne — Big Love: Hymnal |author=Simon Cosyns |publisher='']'' |date=2008-12-05 |accessdate=2009-01-19}}</ref> Other reviewers have found the album too esoteric, such as Chris Barrett, writing for the '']'', who concludes his review writing "Recommended. But, as mentioned, probably not for everybody."<ref name="metropulse">{{Cite web |url=http://www.metropulse.com/news/2008/dec/03/david-byrne/ |title=Review: Big Love: Hymnal |author=Chris Barrett |publisher='']'' |date=2008-12-03 |accessdate=2009-01-19}}</ref> Thom Jurek, writing for ], gave the album three out of five stars, calling it "pleasant for a while, but lightweight" noting that buyers would have to be "Byrne enthusiast... to find this set of compositions engaging in its own right, or addicted to very specifically themed cinematically inspired music, to truly appreciate what's on offer here."<ref name="allmusic">{{Cite web |url=http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:difpxz9kldfe |title=Big Love: Hymnal |author=Thom Jurek |publisher=] |date=2008 |accessdate=2009-01-19}}</ref> Some reviewers have noted the emotional sweep of the music,<ref name="filter" /> with John Constine of ] calling it "a wide breadth of emotions... at times pensive and ominous, at others curious and wistful."<ref name="tinymixtapes">{{Cite web |url=http://tinymixtapes.com/David-Byrne | title=Music Reviews: David Byrne — Big Love: Hymnal |author=John Constine |publisher=] |date=2008 |accessdate=2009-01-19}}</ref> In addition, the spiritual themes<ref name="independent">{{Cite web |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-david-byrne-big-love-hymnal-todomundo-1052170.html |title=Album Reviews: David Byrne, Big Love: Hymnal |author=] |publisher='']'' |date=2008-12-05 |accessdate=2009-01-19}}</ref> have been compared to ]<ref name="tinymixtapes" /> by several commentators<ref name="thesundaytimes">{{Cite web |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/cd_reviews/article5325845.ece |title=David Byrne: Big Love: Hymnal |author=Mark Edwards |publisher='']'' |date=2008-12-14 |accessdate=2009-01-19}}</ref> as well as<ref name="citypaper">{{Cite web |url=http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=62988 |title=Album Reviews: David Byrne |author=Rob Wynn |publisher='']'' |date=2008-09-26 |accessdate=2009-01-19}}</ref> Byrne's other 2008 album,<ref name="tinymixtapes" /> the ] collaboration '']''.<ref name="providencephoenix">{{Cite web |url=http://thephoenix.com/tools/Print/?id=72687 |title=Same as he ever was |author=] |publisher='']'' |date=2008-11-26 |accessdate=2009-01-16}}</ref>


==Track listing== ==Track listing==
All songs written by David Byrne, except where noted: All songs written by David Byrne, except where noted:
#"Art Thou Greater Than He?" – 2:04 #"Art Thou Greater Than He?"&nbsp;– 2:04
#"Exquisite Whiteness" – 2:04 #"]"&nbsp;– 2:04
#"A Hill in Ontario County" – 1:25 #"A Hill in ]"&nbsp;– 1:25
#"Written on Golden Plates" – 2:12 #"Written on ]"&nbsp;– 2:12
#"Deep Water" – 2:06 #"Deep Water"&nbsp;– 2:06
#"A Building in the Air" – 1:14 #"A Building in the Air"&nbsp;– 1:14
#"Great Desolations" – 2:36 #"Great Desolations"&nbsp;– 2:36
#"A House on Sand" – 3:13 #"A House on Sand"&nbsp;– 3:13
#"The Mouth of Malachi" – 1:38 #"The Mouth of ]"&nbsp;– 1:38
#"Cumorah!" – 1:14 #"]!"&nbsp;– 1:14
#"The Angel Moroni" – 1:56 #"The Angel ]"&nbsp;– 1:56
#"Murmur Not" – 1:14 #"Murmur Not"&nbsp;– 1:14
#"The Pearl of Great Price" – 1:25 #"]"&nbsp;– 1:25
#"Language Confounded" – 2:12 #"]"&nbsp;– 2:12
#"Unclean Spirits" – 2:13 #"Unclean Spirits"&nbsp;– 2:13
#"A Persecution Followed" – 2:01 #"]"&nbsp;– 2:01
#"The Breastplate of Righteousness" – 1:32 #"]"&nbsp;– 1:32
#"A Conduit to Heaven" – 2:37 #"A Conduit to Heaven"&nbsp;– 2:37
#"Cloud of Light" – 1:25 #"Cloud of Light"&nbsp;– 1:25
#"The Burden of the Word" – 2:34 #"The Burden of the Word"&nbsp;– 2:34
#"]" (] and ]) – 1:25 #"]" (] and ])&nbsp;– 1:25


==Personnel== ==Personnel==
*] - ] *]&nbsp;– ]
*] - ] *]&nbsp;– ]
*] - ] *]&nbsp;– ]
*] - Violin *]&nbsp;– violin
*] - ] *]&nbsp;– ]
*] - ] *]&nbsp;– ]
*] - French horn *]&nbsp;– French horn
*] - ] *]&nbsp;– ]


==Release history== ==Release history==
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! Catalog ! Catalog
|- |-
|{{Flagicon|World}} Worldwide | Worldwide
|August 19, 2008
|]-]
|]/]/] |]/]/]
|]
|CD
|CD-TODO-001
|1
|-
|} |}


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==External links== ==External links==
* *
*{{Allmusicguide|id=10:difpxz9kldfe|label=''Big Love: Hymnal''}}
*{{MusicBrainz release|id=fdb97276-a3ac-44bf-a2c0-aad32211c497|name=Big Love: Hymnal}}


{{David Byrne}} {{David Byrne}}
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] ]
] ]
]

]

Revision as of 17:31, 13 May 2009

Untitled

Big Love: Hymnal – Music Written for the HBO Series Plus Other Recent Compositions is a soundtrack album by David Byrne including music composed for the HBO television drama Big Love released on August 19, 2008. Byrne has written on his journal that it is not "a pop record by any stretch," but a soundtrack featuring lush instrumentation, including horns and strings, with minimal percussion. It is the first release by Byrne's independent record label Todo Mundo, although Everything That Happens Will Happen Today was released in digital format one day prior to Big Love: Hymnal.

Composition

Byrne initially started writing music for the series in fall, 2006. He found himself attracted to the moral fascination of Big Love and identified with the characters in the series and decided to compose half a dozen hymns that would "imply that always aware of the religious underpinnings that they see as supporting their lifestyle and how they behave." To that end, he sought out Mormon hymnals, recordings of sacred music, and read up on the history of Mormonism. He was also inspired by the soundtrack work of Bernard Herrmann and Nino Rota. He visited the Los Angeles set of the series in early 2007 to talk with the producers about the second season's arc and returned to New York City to continue composing and recording based on what he had seen and the video the producers sent him. The episodes themselves aired from June through August that year and Byrne continued scoring and uploading his music via FTP, finishing on August 3, 2007. In preparing to release the album the following year, Byrne expanded some musical cues and added several hymns that were not included in the series itself.

Reception

The album has received overall positive reviews. In a three-and-a-half out of four star review, Simon Cosyns of The Sun wrote that "there are no boundaries to Byrne's work" and called the album "strangely compelling." Other reviewers have found the album too esoteric, such as Chris Barrett, writing for the Metro Pulse, who concludes his review writing "Recommended. But, as mentioned, probably not for everybody." Thom Jurek, writing for Allmusic, gave the album three out of five stars, calling it "pleasant for a while, but lightweight" noting that buyers would have to be "Byrne enthusiast... to find this set of compositions engaging in its own right, or addicted to very specifically themed cinematically inspired music, to truly appreciate what's on offer here." Some reviewers have noted the emotional sweep of the music, with John Constine of Tiny Mix Tapes calling it "a wide breadth of emotions... at times pensive and ominous, at others curious and wistful." In addition, the spiritual themes have been compared to Sufjan Stevens by several commentators as well as Byrne's other 2008 album, the Brian Eno collaboration Everything That Happens Will Happen Today.

Track listing

All songs written by David Byrne, except where noted:

  1. "Art Thou Greater Than He?" – 2:04
  2. "Exquisite Whiteness" – 2:04
  3. "A Hill in Ontario County" – 1:25
  4. "Written on Golden Plates" – 2:12
  5. "Deep Water" – 2:06
  6. "A Building in the Air" – 1:14
  7. "Great Desolations" – 2:36
  8. "A House on Sand" – 3:13
  9. "The Mouth of Malachi" – 1:38
  10. "Cumorah!" – 1:14
  11. "The Angel Moroni" – 1:56
  12. "Murmur Not" – 1:14
  13. "The Pearl of Great Price" – 1:25
  14. "Language Confounded" – 2:12
  15. "Unclean Spirits" – 2:13
  16. "A Persecution Followed" – 2:01
  17. "The Breastplate of Righteousness" – 1:32
  18. "A Conduit to Heaven" – 2:37
  19. "Cloud of Light" – 1:25
  20. "The Burden of the Word" – 2:34
  21. "Blue Hawaii" (Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger) – 1:25

Personnel

Release history

Region Date Label Format Catalog
Worldwide August 19, 2008 Todo Mundo/HBO/Play Tone Compact Disc CD-TODO-001

References

  1. David Byrne (2007-08-03). "8.3.07: Emotional Emulsifier". David Byrne. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  2. ^ David Byrne (2007-08-03). "8.3.07: Emotional Emulsifier". David Byrne. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  3. ^ Scrudato, Ken (December 2007), "People Like Us" (PDF), Filter, New York City, United States: Sacks & Co, p. 43, retrieved 2009-01-19
  4. David Byrne (2008-03-05). "3.5.07: Big Love (Spotting session)". David Byrne. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  5. David Byrne (2008-05-01). "Big Love: Hymnal - How and Why". David Byrne. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  6. Simon Cosyns (2008-12-05). "Something for the Weekend: David Byrne — Big Love: Hymnal". The Sun. Retrieved 2009-01-19. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. Chris Barrett (2008-12-03). "Review: Big Love: Hymnal". Metro Pulse. Retrieved 2009-01-19. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. Thom Jurek (2008). "Big Love: Hymnal". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  9. ^ John Constine (2008). "Music Reviews: David Byrne — Big Love: Hymnal". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  10. Andy Gill (2008-12-05). "Album Reviews: David Byrne, Big Love: Hymnal". The Independent. Retrieved 2009-01-19. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. Mark Edwards (2008-12-14). "David Byrne: Big Love: Hymnal". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 2009-01-19. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  12. Rob Wynn (2008-09-26). "Album Reviews: David Byrne". The City Paper. Retrieved 2009-01-19. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  13. Michael Atchison (2008-11-26). "Same as he ever was". Providence Phonix. Retrieved 2009-01-16. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

External links

David Byrne
Studio albums
Live albums
Soundtrack albums
Remix albums
Singles
Featured singles
Concert tours
Other works
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