As if being a founding member of Radiohead weren’t enough, Jonny Greenwood is one of the most sought-after film score composers in the biz. Today, he’s shared two cuts from his soundtrack to Jane Campion’s forthcoming Western drama, The Power of the Dog, which will accompany the film’s limited release in theaters on November 17th. They’re called “West” and “25 Years.”
Those who remember Greenwood’s soundtrack work from 2018’sPhantom Thread score will recognize the Radiohead guitarist’s penchant for pared-down, string-heavy compositions here. The soundtrack for The Power of the Dog, however, expectedly features some more country-themed elements, such as a fiddle and banjo. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch as an aggressive rancher named Phil Burbank, who must come to terms with his tumultuous relationship with his co-rancher brother (Jesse Plemons).
“The main thought I kept returning to was that this film is set in the modern era,” Greenwood said in a statement. “It’s too easy to assume any cowboy story takes place in the 19th century. There is so much culture in Phil’s character. He’s well read and it isn’t hard to imagine his taste in music being — alongside his proficiency on the banjo — very sophisticated.”
He added, “The pleasure in a character this complex and emotionally pent-up, is that it allows for complexity in some of the music, as well as simpler, sweeter things for his contrasting brother. Bouncing between these two characters, musically, generated a lot of ideas.”
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