Carter Burwell will be the guest on Soundcheck from New York public radio station WNYC today. In today's episode, titled The Western Frontier, Burwell talks about his score for True Grit, the new film from Joel and Ethan Coen starring Jeff Bridges, and the 19th-century hymns that inspired it. Also appearing on Soundcheck today is Kathryn Kalinak, author of the book How the West Was Sung, who will offer some historical context for the film and its score. Tune in to 93.9 FM in New York or listen online at wnyc.org today starting at 2 PM EST and again at 10 PM EST.

Also on the air today, the film's creators, the Coen brothers, will appear on NPR's Fresh Air to discuss True Grit, their greatest box office success to date. Tune in today on your local NPR station or listen online this evening at npr.org.

The True Grit soundtrack album includes 20 short original works by Burwell, featuring excerpts from the gospel hymns “Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand," “What a Friend We Have in Jesus," “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms," “Talk About Suffering," and “The Glory-Land Way." Digital versions of the album, including the free MP3s that come with Nonesuch Store orders of the CD, contain a bonus track: Iris DeMent’s rendition of “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms,” which plays during the film’s closing credits. To pick up a copy, head to the Nonesuch Store now.