An Inconvenient Truth

by James Christopher Monger Guitarist/composer/Real World fusionist Michael Brook's soundtrack for Al Gore 's environmental doomsday documentary An Inconvenient Truth relies heavily on the eclectic artist's gifts for atmosphere. Brook's serpentine soundscapes echo Daniel Lanois ' work on Billy Bob Thornton 's Sling Blade , relying on distinctly American-sounding motifs that illuminate Gore 's rural upbringing while maintaining the feel of the ominous smokestack that graces the album's cover. It's like Aaron Copland filtered through one of Bill Frisell 's mid-'90s studio sessions, and while it doesn't make for a particularly riveting listen, it does capture the film's weight.