Acclaimed songwriters Jake Xerxes Fussell and James Elkington have embarked on a new creative journey, collaborating on their first original film score for Max Walker-Silverman’s poignant new feature film, Rebuilding, starring Josh O’Connor, Lily LaTorre, Meghann Fahy, Kali Reis and Amy Madigan. The soundtrack, set to arrive on November 14, 2025, via Fat Possum Records, offers a deeply textural and evocative soundscape that mirrors the quiet, humanistic drama of the film. Two early previews, ‘Glow In The Dark’ and ‘Contemplating The Moon,’ hint at the album’s hushed beauty.
Rebuilding, a story of loss and resilience set against the stunning backdrop of southern Colorado, follows a man named Dusty (Josh O’Connor) as he navigates the aftermath of a devastating wildfire. The film, which premiered to acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival, is a gentle portrait of human connection and hope. It’s this same delicate sensibility that Fussell and Elkington have captured in their score. Producer Dan Janvey first introduced Fussell’s work to the director, who immediately recognized its cinematic potential. Walker-Silverman was drawn to Fussell’s ability to create music “firmly rooted in all the folkloric traditions I love but not at all nostalgic,” a perfect parallel to the film’s narrative, which grounds the past in the present.
The collaboration was a natural and intuitive process for the two artists, who had recently worked together on Fussell’s When I’m Called LP (read our interview here). Working remotely between Fussell’s North Carolina home and Elkington’s Chicago studio, the score evolved through a “collage-like” exchange of voice memos and cassette recordings. Elkington would then expand upon these raw ideas, building the layered compositions that ultimately became the film’s sonic backbone. The final stages saw the pair join forces with Walker-Silverman in Chicago, where some of the score’s most compelling cues were born out of real-time improvisation while watching the film.
Drawing inspiration from atmospheric and emotive soundscapes, the duo cited Ry Cooder’s work on Paris, Texas and Alamo Bay, as well as Angelo Badalamenti’s score for The Straight Story, as key influences. Elkington aptly notes the shared lineage between these works and Rebuilding, describing them all as “modern inversions of the western.” The resulting 17-movement album stands as a sprawling yet cohesive work. It’s a warm and detailed piece of music that holds its own, capable of captivating listeners whether heard in the context of the film or as a standalone work. The Rebuilding score is a testament to the powerful synergy between Fussell and Elkington, marking a significant and worthy addition to their collaborative oeuvre.
Rebuilding the film opens in theaters in New York 14th November 2025, with a nationwide rollout to follow. The album also arrives November 14, 2025, on Fat Possum Records, available on vinyl and digital formats: https://fussellandelkington.ffm.to/rebuilding