Who knew Jonathan Rhys Meyers had such an aching, lovely croon? In August Rush,
he supplies his own vocals in the role of an Irish indie-rock singer,
and it's a testament to his skill that he doesn't embarrass himself on
Van Morrison's "Moondance." (He's even better on Lucas Reynolds'
"Something Inside.") This is fairly representative of this CD's flavor:
thoughtful, adult but not bland--typically, you hear a lot of cello
throughout. John Ondrasik, stepping out from his Five for Fighting
persona, wrote new material, though the best song, "King of the Earth,"
is an unreleased one by his main project that boasts superb, elegant
production by Bill Bottrell. Intriguingly, guitar virtuoso Kaki King is
the hand double for Freddie Highmore, who plays the film's child
prodigy. Her two instrumentals, "Bari Improv" and "Ritual Dance," are
treats for lovers of inventive acoustic playing, who should also enjoy
the self-explanatory "Dueling Guitars." John Legend sounds aching on
"Someday," though the cover of "God Bless the Child," by Chris Botti
and Paula Cole, feels a little lite. --Elisabeth Vincentelli
Product Description
August Rush tells the
story of a charismatic young Irish guitarist (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and
a sheltered young cellist (Keri Russell) who have a chance encounter
one magical night above New York's Washington Square, but are soon torn
apart, leaving in their wake an infant, August Rush, orphaned by
circumstance. Now performing on the streets of New York and cared for
by a mysterious stranger (Robin Williams), August (Freddie Highmore)
uses his remarkable musical talent to seek the parents from whom he was
separated at birth. Film Stars Robin Williams, Freddie Highmore, Keri
Russell, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Terrance Howard, and Mykelti Williamson.