Bryce Dessner Talks Composing ‘Train Dreams’ Soundtrack & Why Americana Is Forever ‘Inspiring’: Listen to Score’s First Song

With Clint Bentley’s new film focusing on the life of a railroad worker laboring at the heart of the United States’ industrial revolution, the director needed a composer who understood the complexity of Americana — so he tapped Bryce Dessner.

The National guitarist is, at this point, an expert in soundtracking the American experience throughout historical periods, with his résumé including The Revenant and Manhunt. That’s why he was the perfect person to craft the score for Bentley’s Train Dreams, which — after earning rave reviews at Sundance and the Toronto International Film Festival — is headed to Netflix on Nov. 7.

And, following the release of the film’s Nick Cave-assisted title track in August, Billboard can exclusively share the first piece of music on the Train Dreams soundtrack. Dropping Thursday (Oct. 23), “Passageways I: Ahead, Trembling” gives fans a taste of the swelling strings and analog techniques — including the use of ribbon microphones from the 1930s and 40s — that Dessner employed while creating the musical world of the project.

Speaking to Billboard about the track, Dessner explains, “‘Passageways’ is one of the main themes of the film and comes back four or five times throughout the film in different moments and iterations.”

“The emotion in this music is lyrical but halting, like an aria that never really fully reaches completion,” he continues. “This idea is mirrored in the minimalism of the film, which is beautifully restrained.”

Featuring performances from members of the Oregon Symphony, “Passageways” is just one piece of the broader sonic landscape that Dessner created with main character Robert Grainger (who is played by Joel Edgerton) in mind. The full soundtrack will drop on the same day as the film

“I wanted to find music that was emotional but not overtly sentimental, like [Robert],” Dessner says of the film’s rugged protagonist.

He also took inspiration from Denis Johnson’s original Train Dreams novella, on which Bentley’s film was based. “There’s also a feeling of light and dark in the film which I tried to access in the music, balancing the heavier more intense moments with moments of levity and lighter sounds,” the two-time Grammy winner adds. “The music for the score exists between American folk music and more orchestral writing.”

Other credits on Dessner’s film scoring résumé include The Two Popes, We Live in Time and Cyrano. In addition to his work as a composer, he is a member of one of indie rock’s most beloved groups, as well as a producer and frequent contributor to twin brother Aaron’s projects (such as Taylor Swift’s Folklore and Evermore, to name a couple of Billboard 200 chart-toppers).

But despite his full plate, Dessner has a passion for scoring for which he has continued to make room — and Americana-focused pieces have a particularly special place in his priority list. “I find the subject matter really inspiring for creating music,” he tells Billboard.

The interview with Dessner comes two weeks after Bentley and company dropped the trailer for Train Dreams, immediately sparking Oscar buzz. The film’s soundtrack will arrive Nov. 7, the same day the movie comes to Netflix.

Along with Edgerton, the project also stars Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon and William H. Macy.

Listen to “Passageways I: Ahead, Trembling” below.