How Bryce Dessner got ‘some dust on the sound’ of Netflix’s ‘Train Dreams’

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Just a few days before the Golden Globes on Sunday, Bryce Dessner jokingly confessed he’d arrived in Los Angeles without a tuxedo – a bit of an issue since he was nominated for an award.

He recounted a recent lunch in Beverly Hills, noting the focus on actors’ costumes while seemingly dismissing the importance of the composer. He joked, ‘It felt like no one even considered if I had something to wear!’

While Dessner and Nick Cave didn’t win the Golden Globe for their song (losing to the popular hit “Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters”), their theme song for the film “Train Dreams” was considered for an Oscar nomination. Additionally, Dessner’s music score for the movie, which tells the story of a worker in northern Idaho in the early 1900s, also received Oscar consideration.

Movies

Filmmakers Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar focus on quiet, character-driven stories, often about people with big aspirations. Working with actor Joel Edgerton, they created a beautifully subtle and moving film.

Based on a story by Denis Johnson, “Train Dreams” portrays 80 years in the life of Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton). The film shows his life as a lumberjack, his experiences with love and fatherhood, and a devastating event that forever changes him. It’s a thoughtful exploration of work, love, nature, and loss, and like the films of Terrence Malick, it features very little dialogue. This makes the beautiful, flowing music by Dessner crucial to the film’s storytelling, working alongside the visuals to convey the narrative.

“It’s the water of the river that moves the film along,” Bentley said.

The song’s title track showcases a captivating vocal performance by Nick Cave, the well-known Australian post-punk musician. He was initially hesitant to contribute, as he was deeply impressed by Dessner’s work.

As someone who really appreciates film scores, it always bugs me when a composer creates something beautiful, and then a popular singer comes in and just overwhelms it with a vocal track. Honestly, it’s happened to me a few times while I’ve been working on film projects, and it’s incredibly frustrating.

Bryce Dessner, age 49 and famous for being in the indie-rock band The National, is part of a growing trend of rock musicians working in film. Last year, Daniel Blumberg, formerly of the band Yuck, won an Oscar for original score. This year’s nominees also include Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, and Daniel Lopatin (known as Oneohtrix Point Never), all composing for films.

Aaron Dessner, twin brother of The National’s Aaron Dessner, has also found success as a popular music producer, working with artists like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Brandi Carlile.

Movies

Daniel Lopatin explains how he created the electronic music for Josh Safdie’s ‘Marty Supreme.’ The score aims to capture a feeling of 1980s sounds while still feeling fresh and original.

“Train Dreams” represents a significant artistic moment for Bryce Dessner, bringing together his experience in folk and traditional music, live concert performance, and composing for film.

He joined the film project having collaborated with director Bentley before, notably on the 2021 film “Jockey” and 2023’s “Sing Sing.” Bentley and his partner, Greg Kwedar, received an Oscar nomination for their screenplay adaptation of “Sing Sing.”

I started composing music as soon as I received the script, but looking back, that wasn’t ideal,” Dessner explained. He remembered a similar situation about ten years ago while working on Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s “The Revenant.” “I wrote around two hours of cello music, and then Alejandro – who is a very kind person – let me know they actually didn’t need it.”

Living in Paris with his family, Dessner typically wears all black – a style he maintained even while performing “Train Dreams” live at the Egyptian Theatre.

He believes the film succeeded because it wasn’t a typical movie, but rather resembled a poetic visual experience, explaining, “It’s more like a cinematic poem.”

Dessner created some musical ideas that sound like the steady beat of a train, while others were inspired by the beautiful, untamed scenery of the Pacific Northwest. He captured this inspiration by recording a lot of the music at Flora Recording in Portland, Oregon – a studio The National had used previously.

He described the studio as having vintage equipment – things like classic analog machines, old-fashioned ribbon microphones, and a slightly beat-up upright piano. He explained he wanted the recording to have a warm, slightly imperfect quality, like it had some age to it.

Bentley felt that Nick Cave was the only artist who could capture the exact feeling he wanted for the film’s main song – a subtle mix of being both tired and thankful.

“I actually don’t know if I could’ve moved on if he’d turned us down,” the director said.

I was so excited to see the movie adaptation of Johnson’s book! Nick Cave actually called in and said he’s a big fan, just like me. He admitted he started watching with his hand over his eyes, worried they’d messed it up. But he was laughing while telling the story, saying he quickly relaxed and was really touched by it.

He explained that the song’s lyrics, filled with powerful images from Robert Grainier’s film, came to him in a dream he had after watching it. He described it as if the dream itself had given him the lyrics.

Having experienced the loss of two sons himself, did Nick Cave connect with Joel Edgerton’s depiction of a grieving father?

He strongly agreed, recalling first reading the book years prior to the tragic accidental death of his teenage son, Arthur, who fell from a cliff near their home in Brighton, England. He explained that while the book dealt with grief, it hadn’t resonated with him personally until he listened to Will Patton’s audiobook version – which he described as a beautiful work of art. It was then that the book’s themes truly impacted him. (Bentley’s film actually uses Patton’s narration as a voice-over.)

Music

Almost ten years after losing his 15-year-old son, the Australian singer-songwriter, known for his post-punk style, has released a new album called ‘Wild God.’ He says the album represents a journey toward finding happiness.

When asked if he had a favorite part of Nick Cave’s song, Dessner – who finds a connection between “Train Dreams” and Cave’s recent album, “Wild God” – chose the chorus. In it, Cave sings, “I can’t begin to tell you how that feels.”

“It’s like the whole film, in a way,” the composer said. “It’s about what art can do.”

Bryce Dessner and his brother were raised in Cincinnati. Bryce began playing flute and classical guitar at a young age, around 12 or 13.

Aaron remembered that he was also very skilled in math. He always felt that skill was connected to something else.

Growing up in the suburbs, music was a natural outlet for the Dessner brothers, according to Bryce. He explained that when they were bored, it was a choice between getting into trouble or making music.

After completing his master’s degree at the Yale School of Music, Bryce became a member of The National, a band also featuring vocalist Matt Berninger and brothers Scott and Bryan Devendorf, who play bass and drums respectively.

Aaron admitted their band’s success was somewhat unexpected. However, by the mid-2000s, The National’s albums were consistently praised by music critics, and by 2011, they were performing as the main act at the famous Hollywood Bowl.

Bryce became passionate about film scores after director Alejandro G. Iñárritu heard a composition he created for Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2014. The next day, Iñárritu contacted Bryce and offered him a job on the film “The Revenant,” according to Dessner.

It’s great to hear The National are taking a well-deserved break! After releasing two albums last year and then hitting the road for a tour earlier this year, they’ve definitely earned some time off. Aaron Dessner says they’re all really enjoying it, and while he’s sure we’ll hear from them again, he thinks it’ll probably be about a year before they start working on new stuff. I’m happy they’re prioritizing themselves and I can’t wait to see what they come up with when they’re ready!

For now, he’s concentrating on composing concert music—he recently received a commission to write a concerto for the ondes martenot, an early electronic instrument well-known for its use on Radiohead’s innovative album, “Kid A.” He also occasionally works with his brother on Aaron’s pop music projects.

Aaron, who recently commissioned Bryce to arrange a song for Florence + the Machine, believes Bryce consistently brings a unique and captivating energy to everything he does.

And of course there’s the long road to the Oscars with the quiet but powerful “Train Dreams.”

He said before the Golden Globes that he’d love to just listen in on a conversation between directors like Spielberg and Scorsese – to be a silent observer in that kind of company.

With awards season starting, is Dessner hoping to win against the incredibly popular “Golden”?

“I have to say yes,” he replied with a laugh. “But no.”

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2026-01-14 00:02