I Just Read About That…

SOUNDTRACK: JUNO Soundtrack (2007).

Late on the bandwagon with this soundtrack.  But then, I only really watch movies on TV these days, so I’m often late to the bandwagon.

Anyhow, this soundtrack was a darling in the alternative universe, and with good reason.  It’s a charming collection of mellow rockers, and it suits the film quite well.

The main artist here is Kimya Dawson, formerly of the Moldy Peaches.  She contributes six solo tracks and one song with the Moldy Peaches.  Kimya’s solo work is very lo-fi, it sounds like she’s singing in her bedroom.  Her voice has a tone that she doesn’t care if she’s in tune, and yet she always is.  There’s usually some kind of multi-tracking on each song (backing vocals or some such) that belie the lo-fi-ness of the songs, and yet they all sound like they were done in her bedroom.  Her lyrics are either overtly political or broken hearted/relationshippy.  Since those were pretty much the only songs i didn’t already know, I was a little unsure about them at first, but I have grown to like them.

The rest of the disc comprised a great line-up of previously released songs: The Kinks: “A Well Respected Man” (this also sets the tone for the record); 2 Belle and Sebastian songs; Mott the Hoople: “All the Young Dudes” (probably my favorite song by a band that I don’t think I’ve ever heard another of their songs);  The Velvet Underground: “I’m sticking with You” (the least representative song of a band ever…it’s charming and cute).  And, what you would think would blow the tone of the album: a song by Sonic Youth.  And yet that song is a cover of the Carpenters’ “Superstar.” It’s one of their mellowest songs and one of my favorite cover tracks ever.  The effects they wrangle out of their instruments are great, the tone is amazing, and it even got me to investigate the Carpenters further.

Chances are if you like any of this music, you own most of these songs, but it’s still a great collection of, dare I say it, twee folk rock songs.

[READ: March 4, 2009] “The Invasion from Outer Space”

This was a very short (one and a half pages) story.  It begins with everyone watching the skies in anticipation of an imminent invasion from outer space.  The anticipation builds as they see lights in the sky.  And then a fine yellow powder is dropped all over the earth.

The yellow powder  is the extent of the invasion and the townspeople feel somewhat disappointed that the invasion wasn’t more dramatic.  That gives away a bit of the story, but really it’s the details that make it rewarding.  I rather enjoyed this one.