April 26^th saw the release of a five soundtrack set from acclaimed British group Tindersticks. The soundtracks are taken from a number of films shot over a course of fifteen years by French director, Claire Denis. As with any soundtrack, they mean to echo the sentiments of the work of Denis, and give an insight into Tindersticks’ own material. Well, it goes without saying that taken either as a soundtrack, or as a standalone work, the Claire Denis Film Scores is an immaculate collection. We here at the D were given a sample of the five CD set to help give an overview of the cinematic collection as a whole, so let’s get into it.

It may seem painfully obvious to say so, but the composition of these works is beautifully cinematic. Each track taken individually has a life, a flow, and a profound subtlety. Take for the opening duo of Opening and Train Montage taken from 2008’s 35 Rhums. On the surface, both tracks are an ideal accompaniment to a French film. The Jazzy/Folkish nature, mixing with the accordions, and flute, simply project a continental and cinematic aura. But if you take both as pieces of music, as an extension of Tindersticks’ usual material, you arrive at a similarly beautiful and parallel conclusion; that the group have a mastery of a myriad of instruments and their ability to weave them together into a rich aural tapestry is to be marvelled at.

Their mastery is further expounded upon in La Paseserelle, taken from Denis’ first outing with Tindersticks, 1996’s Nenette Et Boni. Here, the instruments hang in the air along the track. The
electric piano, the natural piano, the hi-hats, all seem to barely stay grounded as the number slips in and out of existence. This is one of the looser tracks in the compilation as some of the instruments barely stay in time with each other. Now, personally I’m a stickler for timing, and usually when instruments don’t stay together, I cringe. But here, they contribute so well to
the atmospheric whole, that the band can be forgiven. Rhumba, the track that closes this short compilation, closely echoes La Paseserelle, although the instrumentation in Rhumba is sped
up, keeping it closer to the ground.

Stuart A. Staples only leads his vocal to one track on this compilation, and that is the remarkable Trouble Every Day, from the 2001 film of the same name. It keeps the jazzy nature of some of the earlier material, but by combining by Staples’ vocal is makes this track a subtly haunting one. It also reminds the listener of what a profoundly interesting and unique vocal Staples has. It’s nasal and fragile, but holds a sort of power, a weight that renders it both haunting and chilling.
This is the stand-out piece of the compilation, not simply because it’s the only one with lyrics, but because it brings together so perfectly all the elements of Tindersticks’ work with Denis on one track.

I’ve had very little prior contact with the work of Denis, and not much more contact with the work of Staples and Tindersticks so I came into this compilation knowing very little of their fifteen years of work. But having turned the pieces over and over in my head, and listened to them
completely, they give me a pretty good picture of the beauty their long relationship together. I know I’ve only looked at a small selection of the five CD set, but I can say whole-heartedly that this is not one to miss.

Drop-D Rating: 7/10

Published on Drop-D.ie, 8th June, 2011