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Tune in to the XPN Morning Show each Monday to hear, Host, Mike Vasilikos, review XPN's Featured Album of the Week. This week's album is....

Original Soundtrack - Cold Mountain (Sony)

The soundtrack to the Civil War film Cold Mountain is a collection of old-timey traditional country, folk, blues and gospel music in the same vein as the soundtrack to O Brother Where Art Thou. Produced by the extraordinary T-Bone Burnett whose work as producer of 'O Brother' has equal import to his work with Counting Crows, Wallflowers and other pop bands, Cold Mountain is a slightly darker, more bucolic first cousin to O Brother.

It’s too early to tell whether or not Cold Mountain will have the same level of success O Brother had, however, it shares a sweeping beauty and attention to detail of traditional American music with that album. The one major and interesting twist on the theme is the presence of Jack White of the White Stripes who performs five of the most prominent songs on the album including “Wayfaring Stranger,” and the original “Never Far Away.”

Additional assistance on the album comes from mandolin player Norman Blake, Dirk Powell on banjo, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, pianists Simon Chamberlain and Keith Ciancia and numerous harmony vocalists and arrangements from Ralph Stanley. Behind it all lurks T-Bone, whose magical touch graces the album.

Cold Mountainis a moving collection with other highlights including Alison Krauss’ performances of songs written by Elvis Costello and Sting, Tim Eriksen’s “Am I Born To Die,” and “I Wish My Baby Was Born,” “I’m Going Home” by the Sacred Harp Singers.

Release Date: 12/16/2003

Written by Bruce Warren

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Track Listing
1.Wayfaring Stranger - 4:25
2.Like a Songbird That Has Fallen - 3:13
3.I Wish My Baby Was Born - 3:09
4.The Scarlet Tide - 2:59
5.The Cuckoo - 1:39
6.Sittin' on Top of the World - 3:48
7.Am I Born to Die? - 2:32
8.You Will Be My Ain True Love - 2:31
9.I'm Going Home - 2:18
10.Never Far Away - 3:40
11.Chistmas Time Will Soon Be Over - 3:16
12.Ruby With the Eyes That Sparkle - 3:11
13.Lady Margret - 3:02
14.Great High Mountain - 4:33
15.Anthem - 3:24
16.Ada Plays - 3:18
17.Ada and Inman - 5:03
18.Love Theme - 3:40
19.Idumea - 3:18

Check out our other Featured Albums of the Week

Click here to see the complete list of WXPN Featured Albums.