THE SKINNY: An Oscar-nominated actor makes an attempt to cross over into the music world and seems to have a chance of succeeding.SITE: http://www.deadmansbones.net/
MYSPACE: http://myspace.com/deadmansbones
Over the years many actors have attempted to cross over into the music industry and in most cases, these attempts fall short. (Eddie Murphy's “Party all the Time” anyone?) However, occasionally audiences are pleasantly surprised with the outcome such as Zooey Deschanel collaborating with M. Ward to create She & Him. So when it was announced that Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling (widely known for his role as Noah in the ultimate chick-flick The Notebook) would be releasing an album, fans and critics alike were not exactly sure what to expect.
Dead Man’s Bones is the collaboration of Gosling and close friend Zach Shields. Their debut album Never Let a Lack of Talent Get You Down is being released this month on their own label Werewolf Heart. What Dead Man’s Bones brings to the music scene is not what one would expect from the actor who uttered the line “If you’re a bird, I’m a bird” making girls across the nation instantly fall in love with him.
Gosling and Shields initially bonded over their love of ghosts, monsters and zombies which is evident with the creepy tone of the few songs that have been released to the public so far. Every song on the album focuses on death and scary creatures that both members are fascinated. The sinister overtones are only enhanced by the use of the children’s choir from the Silverlake Conservatory of Music. A video circulated the internet months back featuring a track of the album entitled “In the Room Where You Sleep” that gave a taste of what was to come from this act. It was sparse, creepy and featured the choir of children dressed in Halloween costumes as Gosling lamented over a simple piano tune with basic drum beats played by Shields. The second song available to listen to on NPR.com “My Body’s a Zombie for You” continues to be eerie, yet somehow catchy and fun.
The process in which Dead Man’s Bones created their debut album was simply striving to keep the sound straightforward and pure. There are no electric guitars, they did not use click-tracks and they played all the instruments featured on the album (whether or not they could actually play these instruments.) They wanted to keep the album very low-fi and seemed to have achieved that desire as heard on few songs that have been made available. The most surprising and unexpected element of Dead Man’s Bones' sound is Gosling’s vocals. His voice has an old quality and is reminiscent of a 50s crooner, deep and warm similar to that of Roy Orbison. His vocal style, complimented by those of a children’s choir makes for an interesting and different sound not heard in any artists today.
Gosling and Shield’s may not be the most talented when it comes to playing, singing or writing songs, but that is not the point of their music. They wanted to create something pure that demonstrated what they enjoy. If the first two songs released are any indication, Dead Man’s Bones' debut record Never Let a Lack of Talent Get You Down celebrating all things that go bump in the night is sure to be enjoyed by audiences and critics. Gosling is one actor who won’t be mercilessly ridiculed for his decision to cross over to the world of music.
"In the Room Where You Sleep" off of
Never Let a Lack of Talent Get You Down
FOR FANS OF: Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear, The White Stripes
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