The last time filmmaker Paul Weitz and indie-folk musician Damon Gough (a.k.a. Badly Drawn Boy) teamed up, it was on 2002's adaptation of Nick Hornby's "About a Boy." Ten years on, it's still considered by many of Gough's fans to be some of his finest work.
Now, the dynamic duo of movies about guys with parenthood issues is reuniting for another literary adaptation, "Being Flynn," Weitz's take on author Nick Flynn's memoir "Another Bulls**t Night in Suck City." Can jangly, emotionally compelling lightning strike twice?
The answer is yes, but only to a limited degree. To be certain, Badly Drawn Boy can turn out a heartfelt ballad. The opener, "I'll Keep the Things You Throw Away," is Beatles-esque, and its plaintive violins make for excellent romantic-playlist material. "The Smile Behind Your Face" has a certain funk to it, propelled as it is by a prominent bassline and a sunny horn section. And "The Space Between My Ears" is positively synth-tastic, with a vibe that wouldn't feel out of place in the '80s.
Also Check Out: "Being Flynn" Trailer
Much of the rest of the album, however, is made up of instrumental score, and your mileage on that will vary. It's all very pleasant, but not, with the exception of the sax-infused "Harbor Street," all that distinctive.
Overall, it seems as though Gough has embraced the soft-rock revival going on in indie music these days, with generally positive results. How it works as the backdrop for a gritty story about fathers and sons remains to be seen, but as a listening experience, particularly for Badly Drawn Boy fans, it's worth checking out.
Full Tracklisting
1. I'll Keep the Things You Throw Away
2. Asleep at the Wheel
3. Harbor Street Check-in
4. If It's Too Late
5. Last Day
6. The Smile Behind Your Face
7. Priest Rant
8. Coming To Your Senses
9. Sell My Blood
10. The Space Between My Ears
11. Jonathan Goes to Work
12. Letter, Mirror
13. Another Day, Another Night
14. Letter to the President
15. Let It Rain
