Okay, I’ve got to admit I’m a movie soundtrack fan, always have been, always will be. I love thesound quality, I love the diversity of music on offer, and often they’re better than compilation albums. I wish I could say the same about going to see movies but that’s a no-no because when the lights dim, so do I - hell they’re such comfortable places to go to sleep in. So I also have to rely on the soundtracks to provide a strong hint as to what movies are about and I’ve generally found the better the soundtrack, the better the movie (yes I do watch DVD’s at home so my snoring doesn’t disturb…).

So here we have a soundtrack that sounds like it hovers below a love story, or something very similar. Track one puts me right, “This is a story of boy meets girl… you should know up front  this is not a love story”. That brief, and helpful, spoken introduction leads immediately to one of my favourite female singer/songwriters Regina Spektor, and ‘Us.’ This lovely, flowing song is from 2005 but could so easily slide onto her latest and greatest album. Then a Smiths classic in ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ a madly romantic song about love at first sight and fearof asking… Never heard of the Black Lips but this heavily retro rocker’Bad Kids’ really ain’t bad. The Smiths return with ‘Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want I Want’ and astrong indication
that the director of this movie is a diehard fan. But actually, the song seems to fit the storyline like the proverbial glove. Then it’s the Doves with an oldie but a gentle goodie in ‘There Goes The Fear.’ Now someone has done their research here because all the songs so far are almost ancient, but house very similar and relevant messages.

Hall & Oates (remember them?) are next up with ‘You Make My Dreams’which the second up-tempo song so far and great 1980’s bouncing retro rock. Hyped Australian band The Temper Trap provide the first ‘new’ song in ‘Sweet Disposition’ which I suspect is from the band’s highly acclaimed new album. It’s a softly swaying cracker! The gentle romantic vibe continues with Carla Bruni and ‘Quelqu’un M’a Dit’ sung in French and surprisingly good. Feist chirps in with one of  her major hits, ‘Mushaboom’ followed by another superb Spektor track (from her last album)  called ‘Hero.’ Simon & Garfunkle slide in a familiar ‘Bookends’ before Wolfmother perform a superb version of one of their best songs,’Vagabond.’

Other artist include Mumm-Ra, Meaghan Smith, and She & Him. I really like this collection of songs (old and new), and get the distinct feeling that you will need to take a box-full of tissues for what could an emotional movie experience…

4/5