I'd like to take this introduction to thank all of my friends that read this blog. I am often surprised to hear people are still reading it, and even though I write it chiefly for myself, I have to admit it feels good to hear I have an audience.
So please don't hate me for mailing this one in, Dear Readers. I wasn't terribly inspired, and it has been a long day, so here goes nothin'.
Disc 252 is...About A Boy Soundtrack
Artist: Badly Drawn Boy (they do all the music)
Year of Release: 2002
What’s Up With The Cover?: In traditional soundtrack manner, it is a picture of the movie poster, or a reasonable facsmile thereof.
How I Came To Know It: I think Sheila saw this movie at the theatre, liked it and subsequently got me hooked. She heard the soundtrack at the same time and liked it, so she bought it - and here we are.
How It Stacks Up: I have around 23 soundtracks (I've sold a couple through this process). "About A Boy" is not my favourite, which is to say near the bottom, but a massive and measurable amount better than "Moulin Rouge".
Rating: 2 stars.
"About A Boy" is a romantic comedy starring Hugh Grant and Toni Collette. Grant plays a misanthrope, who lives off of the royalties from his one hit, a Christmas song called "Santa's Super Sleigh". He meets a boy and they strike up a strange friendship, which eventually shows Grant's character that it is worth caring about other people in the world. It is a much better movie than that little synopsis makes it seem. Go watch it.
As for the soundtrack, it is inoffensive, but didn't really inspire me. It is roughly one half pop songs and one half whimsical score type music. It is all done by one artist (Badly Drawn Boy) and this helps give the film a nice cohesiveness. I'm not sure it translates as well as just a record.
Badly Drawn Boy's music is a sort of indie-pop sound, kind of like a cross between Enya and the Cranberries, only stripped bare of any Celtic overtones, which are replaced by synth and piano.
It is the kind of music I would ordinarily dislike (I'd be tempted to say it needs some Celtic overtones) but it is actually passably good. The music has a nice flow and after a hard day at work, I found it a relaxing drive home. There is even a disco-esque track called "S.P.A.T." which got me moving a bit.
I also liked "A Minor Incident", which has a bit more of the folk overtones that I like in music of this tempo and simplicity.
Apart from these, I just didn't feel challenged or inspired. Not angry in a 'why won't this album end?' kind of way either - just sort of 'meh'. Inoffensive pop that makes for a good soundtrack, as part of an excellent movie, but maybe takes a step down when forced to stand on its own.
And that's all I've got tonight - hope you got your money's worth.
Best tracks: S.P.A.T., A Minor Incident
So please don't hate me for mailing this one in, Dear Readers. I wasn't terribly inspired, and it has been a long day, so here goes nothin'.
Disc 252 is...About A Boy Soundtrack
Artist: Badly Drawn Boy (they do all the music)Year of Release: 2002
What’s Up With The Cover?: In traditional soundtrack manner, it is a picture of the movie poster, or a reasonable facsmile thereof.
How I Came To Know It: I think Sheila saw this movie at the theatre, liked it and subsequently got me hooked. She heard the soundtrack at the same time and liked it, so she bought it - and here we are.
How It Stacks Up: I have around 23 soundtracks (I've sold a couple through this process). "About A Boy" is not my favourite, which is to say near the bottom, but a massive and measurable amount better than "Moulin Rouge".
Rating: 2 stars.
"About A Boy" is a romantic comedy starring Hugh Grant and Toni Collette. Grant plays a misanthrope, who lives off of the royalties from his one hit, a Christmas song called "Santa's Super Sleigh". He meets a boy and they strike up a strange friendship, which eventually shows Grant's character that it is worth caring about other people in the world. It is a much better movie than that little synopsis makes it seem. Go watch it.
As for the soundtrack, it is inoffensive, but didn't really inspire me. It is roughly one half pop songs and one half whimsical score type music. It is all done by one artist (Badly Drawn Boy) and this helps give the film a nice cohesiveness. I'm not sure it translates as well as just a record.
Badly Drawn Boy's music is a sort of indie-pop sound, kind of like a cross between Enya and the Cranberries, only stripped bare of any Celtic overtones, which are replaced by synth and piano.
It is the kind of music I would ordinarily dislike (I'd be tempted to say it needs some Celtic overtones) but it is actually passably good. The music has a nice flow and after a hard day at work, I found it a relaxing drive home. There is even a disco-esque track called "S.P.A.T." which got me moving a bit.
I also liked "A Minor Incident", which has a bit more of the folk overtones that I like in music of this tempo and simplicity.
Apart from these, I just didn't feel challenged or inspired. Not angry in a 'why won't this album end?' kind of way either - just sort of 'meh'. Inoffensive pop that makes for a good soundtrack, as part of an excellent movie, but maybe takes a step down when forced to stand on its own.
And that's all I've got tonight - hope you got your money's worth.
Best tracks: S.P.A.T., A Minor Incident
3 comments:
A wise muppet once said: "There is no try. Only do or do not" (or something like that).
CM does.
Reading the latest Maelstrom is a high point in my day. Thanks to recent reviews, The Who, Cypress Hill, Big Sugar and Eurythmics have recently found a home in my CD stand...and my heart.
Consider me a grateful reader.
"Santa's Super Sleigh" was actually written by the character's father.
I like this soundtrack.
Wow - thanks Joel - that means a lot to me. Thanks for reading. Of all those albums, I'm glad you got The Who the most. "Who's Next" is a must have, and I'm glad you deigned to agree.
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