"
Ghost Brothers of Darkland County" is a southern gothic supernatural musical from co-conspirators
Stephen King,
John Mellencamp and
T Bone Burnett, set for March 19 release from the Hear Music/Concord Music Group.
Stars on the collaboration include music, lyrics and dialog from
Elvis Costello,
Rosanne Cash,
Sheryl Crow,
Neko Case,
Taj Mahal,
Ryan Bingham and
Kris Kristofferson, along with actors
Matthew McConaughey,
Samantha Mathis and
Meg Ryan.
King didn't really know Mellencamp when he agreed to work with him, he told Rolling Stone. "He came to my place in Florida and it was the first time we ever met in person," King told the magazine.
"He tuned my guitar and told me about this ghost story about a cabin he owned. I loved the idea they were brothers, and then years later history repeats itself. Something in that resonated with me deeply."
Right now, there are no official plans to take the show to Broadway.
The first track from the record, Elvis Costello's "That's Me":
The haunting tale of fraternal love, lust, jealousy and revenge was 13 years in the making. The "Ghost Brothers of Darkland County" special release also includes the musical's complete libretto, penned by Stephen King.
The saga began years ago when Mellencamp told King about a cabin on his land in Indiana where two brothers had gotten in a fight over a girl -- one brother accidentally killed the other only to die along with the girl in a car crash a short time later.
King came up with an outline for a play in a matter of days. Off and on, back and forth, they began to develop it into a full-length "blues 'n' roots" music musical, according to an official press statement on the project.
Neko Case delivers "That's Who I Am", Kristofferson sings "How Many Days," Costello is cunning with "That's Me."
The (enhanced CD) Standard Edition features the complete soundtrack, dialog excerpts and digital libretto. The (2CD/1DVD) Deluxe Edition contains the complete soundtrack (with and without dialog), deluxe art work, handwritten lyrics, specially printed libretto and the "Making of Ghost Brothers" mini-documentary DVD featuring in-depth interviews with King, Mellencamp and Burnett along with other bonus material.
Track listing: "That's Me," Elvis Costello
"That's Who I Am," Neko Case
"So Goddamn Smart," Dave Alvin, Phil Alvin, Sheryl Crow
"Wrong, Wrong, Wrong About Me," Elvis Costello
"Brotherly Love," Ryan Bingham, Will Dailey
"How Many Days," Kris Kristofferson
"You Are Blind," Ryan Bingham
"Home Again," Sheryl Crow, Dave Alvin, Phil Alvin, Taj Mahal
"What's Going On Here," Rosanne Cash
"My Name Is Joe," Clyde Mulroney
"Tear This Cabin Down," Taj Mahal
"And Your Days Are Gone," Sheryl Crow, Dave Alvin, Phil Alvin
"Jukin'," Sheryl Crow
"What Kind of Man Am I," Kris Kristofferson, Phil Alvin, Sheryl Crow, Dave Alvin, Taj Mahal
"So Goddamn Good," Phil Alvin, Dave Alvin, Sheryl Crow
"Away From This World," Sheryl Crow
"Truth," John Mellencamp
