sonic slang

NEW VIDEO: Bishop Allen - "Middle Management"

It might not be the instant no-brainer that "Click Click Click Click" and Sony cameras was, but tapping Bishop Allen's "Middle Management" for the cutesy, hipster-baiting Michael Cera vehicle Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist was an almost equally inspired choice.  If Cera's fans are anything like the sensitive, awkwardly cool shtick he's perfected in the post-Arrested Development years, these Harvard-schooled lads are right up their ally.

Check out the official clip after the jump

OMFGG - Original Music Featured on Gossip Girl No.1

Admittedly, I've never seen an episode of Gossip Girl.  But I do appreciate the show's ballsy approach to advertising.  Now SS readers have another reason to pay attention, in a surprisingly solid soundtrack.  Sure, hipster-baiting song collections have already been done to death by The O.C., but what this set lacks in originality, it makes up for in sheer quantity of solid tunes.  And closing it out with Albert Hammond Jr.'s "Hard To Live In The City" - a stroke (hehe) of genius. 

Liz Phair Penning 90210 Tunes

Whether you love, hate or generally overlook her new stuff, you kinda have to respect Liz Phair.  No matter how much crap this gal takes for "selling out," she's thus far resisted aping her past glories with a calculated "return to form" album.  In fact, Phair seems to embrace your teeny bopperness more every day.  Case in point, guess who's one of the composers behind the 90210, version 2.0?

Is this cool for 90201, or lame for Liz Phair?  Both?  Let the hipster ranting begin!

Springsteen Wrestles with New Track

Bruce Springsteen has penned the title-track for Darren Aronofsky's (Requiem for a Dream) upcoming film, The Wrestler. The movie stars Mickey Rourke as Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, a veteran wrestler struggling to make a living in the ring. 

It might not be that Magic follow-up, but we'll take it for now. 

Radiohead to Score Choke Adaptation

It looks like we're not going to wait nearly as long as I suspected for some new Radiohead - Today author Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club) revealed that the band will be scoring the film adaptation of his book Choke.

Lost Boys: The Tribe Soundtrack Out Today, Doesn't Suck

A direct-to-video sequel for 80s vampire classic Lost Boys wasn't too unexpected.  I mean, The Coreys gotta eat, right?  But what I didn't see coming is a fairly kick ass official soundtrack, featuring  Eagles of Death Metal, Dave Gahan, The Hold Steady and G. Love and Special Sauce, just to name just a few.

None of it may top Echo and The Bunnymen covering "People Are Strange," but as sequels go, this is bloody good stuff (har har).  Stream the full soundtrack to Lost Boys: The Tribe at AOL Music.

Huey Lewis - "Pineapple Express"

Other than appearing in You, Me and Dupree, Seth Rogen hasn't led us astray yet, so if he wants Huey Lewis to write an original song (in classic Huey style) for the Pineapple Express theme, who are we to object?  Hey, "Heat of the Moment" rocked in 40 Year Old Virgin.  But where "Power of Love" or more appropriately, "I Want a New Drug" would have been good for at least an ironic laugh (with possible sincere air guitar), the title track penned in 2008 just sounds dated.  Nice thought though.

Take a listen at MySpace

Danny Elfman Returns to Pop with "Little Things"

So we got a couple of neat surprises during a weekend viewing of Angelina Jolie's latest ode to sadomasochistic fanboys, Wanted.  One, it's actually pretty good.  Two, the dark, 80s-fueled rocker "Little Things," that sets the tone for a few of the movie's coolest moments, is performed by none other than Danny Elfman!

Elfman is no stranger to film buffs, having made a name for himself as a composer in recent years through scoring the majority of Tim Burton's movies, but we haven't heard him lay down a pop song since Oingo Boingo bid us Farewell in 1996.  Though we seriously doubt this will mark a permanent return to rock stardom (he is 55, after all), it's pretty cool that he can still deliver the goods on a lark. 

Check out the track here, and if you're feeling inspired enough to create your own video mash-up, enter the Wanted contest at Rhapsody for a chance to appear on the DVD.

Arcade Fire to Score Next Richard Kelly Flick

Even after the debacle that was Southland Tales, we're still curious to see what Richard Kelly does with The Box.  Check out IMDB's summary: "A small wooden box arrives on the doorstep of a married couple, who open it and become instantly wealthy. Little do they realize that opening the box also kills someone they do not know."

The script is inspired by a Twilight Zone episode from the 80s, and though for some reason Kelly cast Cameron freakin' Diaz in the lead (maybe it was the less than $1 million gross for Southland), we now have at least one really good reason to check it out - even if the director turns out to be a one-hit-wonder.  Arcade Fire has signed on to score the soundtrack.

The band hasn't confirmed yet, but if it's true, Kelly just bought himself a few cool points from the blogosphere.  Now just keep Stifler and The Rock out of this one, and you might be onto something...

Yo La Tengo Set to Score New Film from Superbad Director

A quick lesson in generating mad blogger buzz for a movie that sounds like a bad Patrick Dempsey movie from the 1980s: (1)Hire a hip director who's most recent effort way waaay funnier than it had any business being.  Check. (2)Cast a male lead that's currently dating Scarlett Johansson.  Check. (3)Tap a legendary indie band to write the soundtrack.  Check.  (4)Leak to Internet, then sit back and watch the inbound links soar. 

Well done, Adventureland.  Well done.

Winehouse Reps Deny Bond Rumors

Reps for Amy Winehouse are shooting down rumors that the Grammy-winning singer is currently writing the theme for the next Bond installment - Quantum of Solace.  Recent speculation even led to an endorsement from Paul McCartney, calling her the "best artist for the job" (he's right, by the way - crack problems aside).

Winehouse is currently in the studio recording her third LP with producer Mark Ronson, targeting an early 2009 release. 

Jonathan Rice - "You're My Baby"

We don't usually spring for double-disc "special edition" DVDs at SS, but this awesome deleted scene (check the link below) from Walk the Line featuring Jonathan Rice, who played Roy Orbison in the film, might inspire us to loosen the purse strings.

Next Monday Rice kicks off a month-long residency at Spaceland in Los Angeles, in support of the excellent Further North, now available on Reprise.

Jonathan Rice - "You're My Baby" (WMV)

My Blueberry Nights Soundtrack

You know, there's really nothing to dislike about Norah Jones.  Her pleasant, after-hours Starbucks jazz is, if nothing else, easy on the ears, and she seems like a nice chick.  But dammit, we've held a grudge ever since she beat out The Boss for album of the year back in 2003 (the first of two recent snubs for Bruce).  So...are we gonna see My Blueberry Nights?  Actually, maybe.

The first-ever English film by the internationally acclaimed director, My Blueberry Nights is a romantic drama set as an American road movie starring Norah Jones in her acting debut, along with a stellar cast featuring, along with Jones, Jude Law, David Strathairn, Rachel Weisz and Natalie Portman. The Weinstein Company will release My Blueberry Nights in U.S. theaters on April 4, 2008.

Hmm, road movie + Rachel Weisz.  Yeah, we're curious.  Plus the soundtrack is a pretty kick-ass cross-section of American music, both new and old, featuring contributions from the likes of Cat Power, Otis Redding, Ruth Brown and others.  Stream Norah Jones' contribution below, and read the full tracklist after the jump.

Norah Jones - "The Story"

New Wilco on Heroes Official Soundtrack

As a TV show, Heroes might have turned into a steaming pile this season - But unlike that other blogger favorite LOST (thought they did get "Scentless Apprentice" in there last year), they scored some major cred with the indie kids on the new soundtrack:

"The NBC Universal Television, DVD, Music & Consumer Products Group has set a March 18 release for the album, which will feature exclusive new singles from artists including Wilco ("Glad It's Over"), Panic At The Disco ("Nine in the Afternoon"), Imogen Heap ("Not Now But Soon") and Brighton Port Authority featuring Iggy Pop ("He's Frank"), as well as classic tracks from Bob Dylan ("Man in the Long Black Coat") and David Bowie ("Heroes," as one might have guessed)." (via Billboard)

You might remember when Heroes dropped a snippet of Nada Surf's new disc in a previous episode, so the writers already have some indie cred, but exclusive new Wilco??  Seems like a waste for a show unlikely to make it through its 3rd season. 

Meh, check out the full tracklist after the jump.

 

21 Official Soundtrack

We're still hedging our bets on whether that Kevin Spacey/Kate Boseworth card-counting thriller 21 is gonna be a winner (that other recent gambling-focused crapfest Lucky You might have jaded us), but they're doing a great job courting the blogger vote with what looks like a kick-ass soundtrack.

LCD Soundsystem, Pete Bjorn and John, MGMT and a remix of the Stone's "You Can't Always Get What You Want" are among the highlights, and Stereogum premiered the LCD track yesterday.  We've never been as enamored with James Murphy's post-electro tunes, but hey, clearly we're in the minority on that one.  So enjoy, and check out the full tracklist after the jump

Eddie Vedder Says "No More" to War in Iraq

Despite getting snubbed by the Oscar committee for his excellent Into the Wild contributions, Eddie Vedder is back in the soundtrack game.  Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran, coming this March, will serve as a double-disc companion to the film of the same name.

A documentary that follows the story of paralyzed twenty-six-year-old veteran Tomas Young, Body of War charts his subsequent crusade to question the war and will feature Vedder's “No More,” a track he wrote specifically for the film and premiered with Ben Harper’s accompaniment at last year’s Lollapalooza.

Check out a live performance of "No More" from last May at Hullabaloo after the jump.

Badly Drawn Boy on Definitely, Maybe Soundtrack

Will putting Badly Drawn Boy on the soundtrack to the Ryan Reynolds v-day flick, Definitely, Maybe, put asses in the seats?  Probably not.  But if you're prone to dozing off during romantic comedy schlock, watch the clip close for plot points in case the GF quizzes you after date night.

Juno Soundtrack Geta Moldy

Juno has been getting off the hook reviews and a quick glance at the tracklist for the accompanying soundtrack makes us think that before Michael Cera goes punk, he also might help make Kimya Dawson (Moldy Peaches) a household name.

In addition to the Peaches tracks, Juno boasts cuts from Belle and Sebastian, Cat Power, The Velvet Underground, The Kinks and others.  The film is already being called this year's Little Miss Sunshine - Perhaps we'll call the soundtrack this year's Garden State?

Into the Wild: Definitely Way Better Than Celine Dion

Into the Wild, a movie/soundtrack combo that hasn't been getting near the love it deserves, marks Eddie Vedder's first time going it alone for a full disc's worth of tunes.  The LP didn't make much of a mark on Billboard (even compared to the weaker, early-2000s output from his day job), but we're still diggin' it.  In fact, in the wake of yesterday's head-scratching lament of today's music-for-film genre, we're gonna go ahead and be the first to nominate PJ's front man for this year's gold statue on Oscar day.

Check out the video for "Hard Sun" after the jump, and listen to Eddie get his Rusted Root on.

Preview the I'm Not There Soundtrack

We already know that movies starring Bob Dylan tend to be God awful, but a movie about Bob Dylan - now that might be something worth seeing.  Yep, it's true a lot of people have been gushing over I'm Not There.  Although we'll reserve judgment on the flick until we catch it (and hopefully the accompanying live concert) in person, SS can already admit to being wildly excited about the accompanying double-disc soundtrack. 

Due October 30th on Columbia, the set features interpretations of Dylan classics by artists ranging from Eddie Vedder, to The Hold Steady, to Jack Johnson, to Yo La Tengo, to Sufjan Stevens, to...and it goes on like that!  Check out the full tracklist plus hear a sneak peak of the album after the jump.

Entourage Releases Official Soundtrack

It's so easy to bust on Entourage for derivative plots and bad acting, but after four seasons we've actually become strangely dependent on the predictable adventures of Vinny Chase and his crew of hangers-on.  Its really just comfort TV for people who think they're too cool for According to Jim, but like any show these days that wants to seem hip, they just released a soundtrack.  Personally, we've always felt that Entourage could do much better with the tunes (TV on the Radio is the closest thing to an edgy song they've ever spun), but hey, if you're down with the hippity hop, this might be your bag:

Entourage soundtrack:

01 "Throw Some D's (Travis Barker Remix)" - Rich Boy
02 "You Know What It Is" - T.I.
03 "Wanna Know" - Obie Trice
04 "Southside" - Common (Feat. Kanye West)
05 "Gone Daddy Gone/I Just Want To Make Love To You" - Gnarls Barkley
06 "Salvador" - Jamie T
07 "I Ain't Hard To Find" - Paul Wall
08 "Alsatian" - White Rose Movement
09 "Weekend Jumpoff" - Kevin Michael (Feat. Saigon)
10 "Hip Hop" - Dead Prez
11 "Jealous" - Flo Rida
12 "Don't Do That" - Saigon
13 "Tell Me In The Morning" - Cold War Kids
14 "Staring At The Sun" - TV On The Radio

Stream the Entourage soundtrack at AOL Music.

Joe Strummer + Surfing + Al Bundy = Great TV

A lot of people have been both intrigued and frustrated by John From Cincinnati, David Milch's (Deadwood) spiritual surfing saga, what with its at times nonsensical dialogue and often impenitrable plot, but any show that uses Joe Strummer for its theme and features Al Bundy (Ed O'Neill has never been better), Zach Morris and Dylan McKay...Well it has my vote.

Download Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros' "Johnny Appleseed" at MOKB, or watch the opening sequence below.  The ratings for JFC have been less than stellar, so tune in as the season winds down and help us make the push for a second wave in '08.

Transformers Official Soundtrack

Though we're actually getting pretty psyched for Transformers, the soundtrack is, regrettably, a pile of 3rd-rate emo and alterna-crap.  Smashing Pumpkins, I know you guys have been away for a while, but there's no need to slum it like this...

Transformers official soundtrack:

01 Linkin Park - "What I've Done"
02 Smashing Pumpkins - "Doomsday Clock"
03 Disturbed - "This Moment"
04 Goo Goo Dolls - "Before It's Too Late (Sam and Mikaela's Theme)"
05 The Used - "Pretty Handsome Awkward"
06 HIM - "Passion's Killing Floor"
07 Taking Back Sunday - "What It Feels Like To Be A Ghost"
08 Styles of Beyond - "Second To None"
09 Armor for Sleep - "End Of The World"
10 Idiot Pilot - "Retina And The Sky"
11 Julien-K - "Technical Difficulties"
12 Mutemath - "Transformers Theme"

OK - We were sort of curious about Mute Math's (already an SS-friendly band) take on the Transformers theme.  Check it out below, followed by the classic...

Lucky You Official Soundtrack

Normally we wouldn't get too excited over a soundtrack featuring Liza Minelli, Kris Kristofferson and Drew Barrymore - BUT, as previously reported, Lucky You does boast some Bruce Springsteen ("The Fever "and "Lucky Town"), Bob Dylan ("Huck's Tune") and Ryan Adams ("Let It Ride") so this might be one for the iPod.

The Lucky You official soundtrack hit store this Tuesday (4/24) but you can find the disc streaming on AOL Music if "Maybe This Time" is still a serious turnoff.

Lucky You Soundtrack tracklist:

1. Lucky Town - Bruce Springsteen
2. Dance Me To the End of Love - Madeleine Peyroux
3. Choices - George Jones
4. Maybe This Time - Liza Minelli
5. The Fever - Bruce Springsteen
6. Bartender's Blues - Bonnie Raitt
7. They Ain't Got 'Em All - Kris Kristofferson
8. The Cold Hard Truth - Drew Barrymore
9. Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
10. Let It Ride - Ryan Adams
11. I Always Get Lucky With You - George Jones
12. Huck's Tune - Bob Dylan