Sing, Brother Rabbite, sing! (The Commitments - Soundtrack)

Member Name: pmcds

Product:	The Commitments - Soundtrack
Date:	13/03/09 (103 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent combinations

Disadvantages: Ends a little plainly

In 1987, Roddy Doyle wrote the first in his 'Barrytown' trilogy. It was entitled The Commitments and was made into a film in 1991. The film takes us on the musical journey of a group of people who meet under the guidance of Jimmy Rabbite, united by their shared love of music, hoping to make it big in the music world. The plot is very good, and the music fits it perfectly, featuring some original music as well as some excellently performed covers.

The soundtrack to the film was immensely popular on release. My parents bought it almost immediately, and I loved listening to it, as well as watching the film once I got round to it. The tracks flow effortlessly into each other and this is definitely one of my favourite all time OST releases.

It kicks off with a brilliant cover of Mustang Sally, voiced by Andrew Strong, who played Decko in the film. The track is a great bluesy number, and Strong's voice really complements the powerful vocals that it requires. He is backed up very well by the vocal talents of Bronagh Gallagher, Angeline Ball and Maria Doyle Kennedy as the three backing singers for the majority of the songs.

Strong is also the main vocalist for many of the tracks on here, as he was for the band in the film. Take Me To The River, the second track, is a bit of an upbeat and catchy number. It again features his vocals more than anything else on the track, and once more he delivers.

The third track, Chain Of Fools, is an opportunity for the girls to have a go at the vocals, with Kennedy taking the lead vocals in the film and on disc, I believe. The majority of the songs on here do feature the cast performing them, including the instruments, and this song showcases some of the musical skill involved in the whole group.

The Dark End Of The Street, as a number in the film, gives the band a bit of a chance to rest as Andrew Strong gives us a melodic slow number. This has a bit of the brass section combined with his voice, and the result is very soothing and relaxing indeed.

Track 5 on the album, Destination Anywhere, is featured in the film as they all board a bus. They are at a crossroads with their music and are relatively unsure of what, if any, success they may gain from sticking together. This track has the lyrics and the upbeat tempo that it needs to pick them all up again from being quite miserable, and is the only track on the soundtrack sung by another artist. It is a track they use to gain support from as opposed to one they perform, and fits in beautifully. Many have criticised it for not being one performed by the band - I think the fact that it isn't makes sense and highlights the pressure they were under at this point in the film, and therefore deserves its place on here.

I Can't Stand The Rain is another soft and melodic track, performed by Kennedy, and gives the band another chance to relax in the film. Her voice is perhaps the strongest on its own of the three girls, and it thus makes sense for her to be doing the solos. It is followed by the band's showpiece: try A Little Tenderness, a well covered track by many artists and groups, none more so than this one, with the tempo and volume increasing throughout the track, with Strong once again the lead vocal. It's my favourite track on the album, and features all of the band going hell for leather.

The next few tracks don't really appeal to me in a great way. Treat her Right is up tempo and is more of a jam session number, with Do Right Woman, Do Right Man being another from Kavanagh and quite a soulful number. Mr Pitiful is a upbeat once more from Strong, before we slip back into the soulful and exquisite voice of Kennedy, singing I Never Love A Man. This is a lovely track and fits in very well with the storyline as well, showing how the sexual tension between members of the band serve to cause rifts.

The end three tracks are a little disappointing in placement. I would have to have seen Try A Little Tenderness bringing it to a fantastically booming close, but instead we have the cover of In The Midnight Hour, which is very well performed, as is Bye Bye Baby. Both of these are numbers which, by their very nature, seem to be drawing a close to something, and are thus well placed individually, but as a group along with Slip Away, the last track, are a soft and calming end to the soundtrack, and it doesn't go out with a bang. Slip Away itself lowers the mood to a very relaxing and almost quiet feel, if Andrew Strong's could ever be described as such!

In a way, the format of the OST does encaapsulate and copy that of the film, with the ebb and flow of tone and excitement yoyoing throughout. The film is excellent, and the soundtrack equally so. There is also a second soundtrack, featuring more of the music from the film, as it is not all here. However, this is the initial and best release from the film.

The film has actually produced a band, entitled The Stars From The Commitments, and has featured some of the cast in its touring. I have never seen them perform, but if they are as good as the soundtrack to the film suggests, then those going to watch them are in for a treat.

The Commitments soundtrack is available readily for low prices from various online sites and high street stores, with amazon.co.uk currently featuring it at arounf the £5 mark.

Summary: One of the best OSTs I have heard