Various Artists - O Brother, Where Art Thou?

One of the most successful movie soundtracks in recent memory. In order to capture the sound of Mississippi circa 1932, the Coen Brothers commissioned T-Bone Burnett, a masterful producer whose work with artists like Elvis Costello, Sam Phillips, Joseph Arthur and Counting Crows has earned him a special place in the folk-rock hall of fame, to research and re-create the country, bluegrass, folk, gospel, and blues of the era. The Coens were so taken with Burnett's discoveries that the film became a unique sort of musical revue. There are no original compositions here (though Burnett is given a "music by" credit usually reserved for composers), but nearly every scene in O Brother is set to a period song, and the music frequently drives and defines the action. With one exception ‹ a stunning 1955 Alan Lomax recording of a black prison chain gang singing "Po Lazarus" ‹ every song was recorded for the film by an impressive assembly of old-time country veterans (Fairfield Four, Ralph Stanley, the Whites) and talented newcomers (Gillian Welch, Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris).