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Musically it’s the performances by Bridges that are the most arresting here.
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Paired with Bruton's lyricism, co-producer T Bone Burnett's saturated Americana backdrop, and Joel Guzman's accordion brushes, Bridges notches a Tex-Mex trifecta starting with opener "Hold on You" that bodes well against Burnett's other soundtrack selections, including Townes Van Zandt ("If I Needed You"), Waylon Jennings ("Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way"), and Lightnin' Hopkins ("Once a Gambler").
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At times it can settle too readily into a kind of country chug, and one begins to feel stuck for too long in a dusty, last-breath pick-up on some interminable road trip. But when it is good, it is very, very good.
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The surprise on the set is how well the new music holds up against the vintage material.
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Even outside the context of the movie, the songs are compelling portraits of dashed dreams.
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Bridges and his onscreen protégé, Colin Farrell, give admirable heft (yes, they're really singing) to originals penned by Burnett and a crew of veteran sidemen.
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This soundtrack is a remarkable accomplishment—for Burnett, as further evidence of his striking abilities as a songwriter; for Bingham, as the fiery new head honcho in Americana today; and for Bridges, who proves that he’s not the Dude—he’s a country singer.
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The actor dominates this soundtrack, not just in the number of tracks he sings but in the quality of his husky burr. It doesn't hurt that he has a great producer (T Bone Burnett) and good material--courtesy of Ryan Bingham and the late Stephen Bruton, who co-wrote the songs for Bridges' character.