The History of Sound

Brokeback for Academics I liked it, but it needed much much much more music. My folk music loving heart is melting.

Man of the moment Paul Mescal also had a hand on the tiller of this drama about a musical prodigy (“Lionel”) who grew up subsistence farming in rural Kentucky. With little to entertain the family but their own skills, he was not only a singer but he could imagine music as something altogether more tangible than most. It’s at a conservatory that he encounters kindred spirit “David” (Josh O’Connor) and swiftly the two are listening to music and exploring not just their shared love of all things acoustic, but their shared love of each other too. When the Great War sees “David” drafted, the exempt “Lionel” (he wears spectacles) focuses on his career until his friend returns and they set off on trip deep into the woodlands of New England armed with wax discs upon which they hope to record examples of just how the locals performed their own traditional tunes. These men appreciate that their relationship is likely to end when their project does, and for one man that means a wife and family and for the other, well he has some demons to deal with. It’s only when “Lionel” attempts to reconnect with his friend after an absence of many years that we start to fill in the gaps and understand a little more of what made this pair tick. Though the gay elements to the story are important, they take their rightful place as a sub-plot in what is essentially quite a moving drama that addresses male bonding, rural poverty, the psychological impact of warfare and most importantly, the role of music in the lives of just about everyone. From barn dances and ceilidhs to mournful ballads, music was so often the currency for people to celebrate or mourn, and there are a myriad of examples for us to hear as they travel together and as “Lionel” works in Rome and Oxford allowing us to hear some grander pieces reverberating around some ancient marble churches. It’s slowly paced and of truth be told, not that much actually happens during this stylishly filmed piece of cinema, but there is chemistry between Mescal and O’Connor and something of community celebration - in the face of conflicts large and small - that I found quite touching.

This film didn't get the attention it deserved. It is a slow, slow burn, and patience is required. The payoff is explosive. What an incredible story, brought to life by actors who have such a gift and understanding of the power of subtlety and nuance.