Garden State Soundtrack

The thing I love most about the Garden State Soundtrack is how it sounds like an effortless mixed tape someone put together to follow the life of the character's in the movie. Writer, director, and lead actor, Zach Braff, did an excellent job in putting together a soundtrack that compliments his movie so well, with songs that were not made specifically for the film.

It is a rare case for popular music to successfully connect to the storyline and compliment what is going on in the movie. This seamless collaboration of a wide-spread variety of songs seem to fit not only the plot line, but more so the characters in the movie so perfectly. Included is everything from the popular band Coldplay to the then up-and-coming band The Shins and more unknown artists like Bonnie Somerville.

The music in this movie is not just background music to set the mood of the film, but it very much a main part of the movie. For example there is a scene where Sam (Natalie Portman) hands her headphones to Andrew (Zach Braff) and tells him it’s The Shins and says, “You gotta hear this one song-it’ll change your life; I swear.” Two of The Shins songs are featured in the soundtrack, “Caring is Creepy” and “New Slang”.

The first song on the soundtrack “Don’t Panic” by Coldplay has a lyrical connection to the specific scene in which it plays. Lines like “we live in a beautiful world” play during the scene where Andrew is looking through his medicine cabinet and then out on the traffic of the L.A. streets.

The connection between the movie and soundtrack is also apparent in many other songs throughout the movie. Lyrics like “Too low to find my way/ too high to wonder why” in Thievery corporation's "Lebanese Blonde" play when Andrew is at a party about to take drugs with friends. The jazzy trip-hop sound and sad lyrics do a great job expressing the emotions of the character in that scene.

Other trip-hop electronic songs like "In the Waiting Line" by Zero 7 and "Fair" by Remy Zero included in the soundtrack balance out the old classics like "One of These Things First" by Nick Drake and "The Only Living Boy in New York" by Simon & Garfunkel. With a few other indie songs like cover of the Postal Service’s “Such Great Heights” and “Let Go” by Frou Frou.

















1. Coldplay - Don't Panic
2. The Shins - Caring Is Creepy
3. Zero 7 - In The Waiting Line
4. The Shins - New Slang
5. Colin Hay - I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You
6. Cary Brothers - Blue Eyes
7. Remy Zero - Fair
8. Nick Drake - One Of These Things First
9. Thievery Corporation - Lebanese Blonde
10. Simon & Garfunkel - The Only Living Boy In New York
11. Iron And Wine - Such Great Heights
12. Frou Frou - Let Go
13. Bonnie Somerville - Winding Road

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Juno Soundtrack

The indie smash hit of 2007, Juno, is an off-beat film accompanied by a perfectly fitting soundtrack. The Jason Reitman film is about a sassy young girl named Juno who is faced with the shocking reality of teenage pregnancy and the bumps that come along with it, while learning about love, life, and growing up. The soundtrack is a lovable cutesy album with a great variety of songs that create a difficult to label, unique sound.

Singer songwriter Kimya Dawson sets the tone of the album with quirky songs by her two bands The Moldy Peaches and Antsy Pants scattered throughout the soundtrack.

Although the variety of artists included in this soundtrack aren't all that related, the CD definitely follows a similar sound. It is easy to say that the songs were each carefully chosen to collectively make a very specific sound. There is a mixture of soft-punk, and mellow head bobbing melodies, along with sweet and simple lyrics.

The soundtrack opens with Barry Louis Polisar's "All I want is You" which immediately sets the child-like vibe of the whole soundtrack. Its sweet lyrics like, "If you were a flower growing wild and free / All I'd want is you to be my sweet honey bee" and "If you were a wink, I'd be a nod / If you were a seed, well I'd be a pod." make up a light-hearted love song for any age.

Following the first song is the first Kimya Dawson song "My Rollercoaster" which again brings the youthful vibe that is so apparent in the actual movie. Besides all the Kimya Dawson songs there are a few unfamiliar songs by more well-known artists like The Kinks, Belle & Sebastian, Buddy Holly, and the Velvet Underground.

A few songs, like the carpenters cover "Superstar" by Sonic Youth and "Sea of Love" by Cat Power, bring out some of the deeper issues in the movie that are somewhat masked by the dry humor and light-hearted songs. One of those songs would also be "All the Young Dudes" by Mott the Hoople, which happened to make it into the official trailer of Juno.

The final song on the soundtrack is a cover of The Moldy Peaches' "Anyone Else But You", sung by lead actors of the film Michael Cera and Ellen Page themselves. The song is actually sung in the final seen of the movie, giving the whole soundtrack and film a satisfying ending.

The feel good songs with their catchy melodies have an addictive quality to them. I personally could not stop listening to the soundtrack for weeks, which I bought immediately after seeing the movie in the theatre. This is definitely one of my favorite soundtracks because of the rawness of Kimya Dawson's songs, mixed with some of my favorite artists like Cat Power and Belle & Sebastian. I think it was very successful in capturing the mix of emotions and quirky mood of the movie.

















1. Barry Louis Polisar – All I Want Is You
2. Kimya Dawson – My Rollercoaster
3. The Kinks – A Well Respected Man
4. Buddy Holly – Dearest
5. Mateo Messina – Up the Spout
6. Kimya Dawson – Tire Swing
7. Belle & Sebastian – Piazza, New York Catcher
8. Kimya Dawson – Loose Lips
9. Sonic Youth – Superstar
10. Kimya Dawson – Sleep
11. Belle & Sebastian – Expectations
12. Mott the Hoople – All the Young Dudes
13. Kimya Dawson – So Nice So Smart
14. Cat Power – Sea of Love
15. Kimya Dawson and Antsy Pants – Tree Hugger
16. The Velvet Underground – I'm Sticking with You
17. The Moldy Peaches – Anyone Else but You
18. Michael Cera & Ellen Page- Anyone Else but You

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Elizabethtown Soundtrack

The mixture of folk, indie, country, and rock music, new and old, on the Elizabethtown soundtrack not only compliment the movie excellently, but also make a perfect road trip mix.

The Cameron Crowe film is about self-discovery and recovery. The main character Drew (Orlando Bloom) loses his job and girlfriend causing him to turn suicidal, although he is forced to put it on hold and travel south to bury his recently dead father in his hometown Elizabethtown, Kentucky. His trip results in learning a lot about himself and his family. He also meets Claire(Kirsten Dunst) along the way, who introduces him to some music, featured on the soundtrack, for his journey home and essentially saves him.

It's no shocker that the soundtrack, also produced by Crowe, is good considering he is a former contributing editor and frequent writer for Rolling Stone magazine. The album takes you on a journey of the characters search for meaning and recovery in the mess of his life, displaying a true roller coaster of emotions, happy and sad.

The album opens with a twangy instrumental song, "60B (Etown theme song)" by former Hearts member Nancy Wilson. Following the first track is another twangy folk/rock song, "It'll all work out" by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, which music and lyrics begins the journey of the character in the movie.

The variation of the next few songs, each very different, all continue the storytelling of the soundtrack. Elton John's, "My Fathers Gun" provides a sentimental rock song, next is the airy sounding "Io (This Time Around)" by Helen Stellar with heavy piano instrumentals, and then the mellow and bluesy, "Come Pick Me Up" by Ryan Adams with harmonica solos.

Also included on the soundtrack is a melancholy "Where to Begin" by My Morning Jacket, indie love song “Don’t I Hold You” by Wheat, upbeat party song “Let it Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres, and more folky tunes like "Long Ride Home", "Sugar blue" and cover of Bob Dylan's "Hardtimes".

Wrapping up the musical journey is another Tom Petty song, "Square One", which plays in the scene at the end of the movie where Drew is dancing alone in the middle of a forest. The lyrics "Square one, my slate is clear/Rest your head and meet my dear/It took a world of trouble, it took a world of tears/It took a long time to get back here", as well as the musical influence of Tom Petty within the rest of the album really sum up the soundtrack and movie.

This soundtrack is relatable and enjoyable even if you haven't seen the movie. I really liked how the variation of artists all flowed together so well, and followed this storyline in the movie, that anyone can relate to. This is the perfect collecetion of music for a long drive. Next time you're taking a road trip pop this CD in, roll down the windows, and enjoy.

1.60B (Etown Theme) - Nancy Wilson
2.It'll All Work Out - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3.My Father's Gun - Elton John
4.IO (This Time Around) - Helen Stellar
5.Come Pick Me Up - Ryan Adams
6.Where to Begin - My Morning Jacket
7.Long Ride Home - Patty Griffin
8.Sugar Blue - Jeff Finlin
9.Don't I Hold You - Wheat
10.Shut Us Down - Lindsey Buckingham
11.Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out) - The Hombres
12.Hard Times (Come Again No More) - Eastmountainsouth
13.Jesus Was A Cross Maker - The Hollies
14.Square One - Tom Petty
15.Same In Any Language - I Nine

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