Ingrained Refrains: December 2006

"I loved the guys that kind of slyly said within the frames of their movie, 'Hey, man, I love music and I love film and sometimes I marry 'em both in a great way.'" -Cameron Crowe

Me too, me too! Nobody can "marry" music and movies the way that Cameron Crowe can…nobody. He is one of my all time favorite "Hollywood" people. I use that term loosely though because in every bit of footage I've seen and everything I've read about him he just comes off as being so completely normal and down to Earth. He's a guy you want to sit down and have coffee with just so you can hear his ideas on life and all that it entails. He's a brilliant writer, director, producer, etc. and he has this way of setting film to music that in a word is perfection. Cameron's use of music in the film Singles is what first attracted me to the actual soundtrack "genre" of music and what made me realize that there's a very delicate science to creating the perfect musical accompaniment to a film. Whatever the formula, Cameron has it down pat…NOBODY can tell a story with music the way that he can. From there, I went on to seek out more and more of his work (Say Anything is still a classic in my book) as well as the work of others who tirelessly search for just the right tunes to bring a different dimension to the films they make and I credit him as the sole reason I got hooked on collecting soundtracks from films I love. I've noticed in the past few years that television producers have caught on to the fact that music lovers ALSO love television and therefore if they combine the two they could create an entirely new beast of product altogether. That's been done extremely well by Shonda and Co. at Grey's Anatomy and a few others in '06 as well. I was COMPLETELY blown away by how awesome the animated films have backed up their projects this year with amazing, phenomenal soundtracks that engage not only the kiddos but their parents as well; brilliant, brilliant, brilliant of them to do it. My favorite soundtrack of the year is no surprise as it's Cameron's handiwork and the rest just follow in order of how much Emma and/or I listened to and loved them down to 20. See these movies if you haven't and then on your trip home stop off and buy the soundtracks...you won't be sorry.

Cameron did it again! He created a beautiful, touching film about failure and family, love and loss and the power of redemption and set it to music in a big, big way. You really CAN go home again, ya know. Pick up the first volume of this that was issued in '05 as well if you don't already own it.

1. Learning To Fly - Tom Petty

2. English Girls Approximately - Ryan Adams

3. Jesus Was A Crossmaker - Rachael Yamagata

4. Funky Nassau Pt. 1 - Beginning Of The End

5. Loro - Pinback

6. Moon River - Patty Griffin

7. Summerlong - Kathleen Edwards

8. Passing By - Ulrich Schnauss

9. You Can't Hurry Love - The Concretes

10. River Road - Nancy Wilson

11. Same In Any Language - My Morning Jacket

12. What Are They Doing In Heaven Today - Washington Phillips

13. Words - Ryan Adams

14. Big Love - Lindsey Buckingham

15. I Can't Get Next To You - The Temptations

After breathing new life into the classic Curious George character, the filmmakers enlisted the help of Jack Johnson to create this soundtrack and it was the best idea EVER! Full of catchy, fun, feel good tunes, this album is great for EVERYONE in the family.

1. Upside Down - Jack Johnson

2. Broken - Jack Johnson

3. People Watching - Jack Johnson

4. Wrong Turn - Jack Johnson

5. Talk of the Town - Jack Johnson

6. Jungle Gym - Jack Johnson

7. We're Going to Be Friends - Jack Johnson

8. Sharing Song - Jack Johnson

9. 3 Rs - Jack Johnson

10. Lullaby - Matt Costa

11. With My Own Two Hands - Jack Johnson

12. Questions - Jack Johnson

13. Supposed to Be - Jack Johnson

Some of my favorite artists on the soundtrack to my very, very favorite show. How could this be anything less than perfect?! If you've been living under a rock and haven't added McDreamy, McSteamy, McVet, Seriously?!?! or va-jay-jay to your daily vocabulary yet then I suggest you check out the cast and the AMAZING music every Thursday night on ABC. Seriously!

1. How To Save A Life - The Fray

2. War On Sound - Moonbabies

3. I Me You - Jim Noir

4. Kaboom! - Ursula 1000

5. Miss Halfway - Anya Marina

6. Multiply - Jamie Lidell

7. Universe & U - KT Tunstall

8. Monster Hospital - Metric

9. How We Operate - Gomez

10. Grace - Kate Havnevik

11. Sexy Mistake - The Chalets

12. Bound By Love - Gran Bel Fisher

13. I Hate Everyone - Get Set Go

14. Homebird - Foy Vance

15. Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

If you've ever read this blog at all then you're already sick to death of my going on and on about the artists that appear on it. So, I'll spare you save to say that every single solitary song on this album is MONEY.

1. Chocolate - Snow Patrol

2. Star Mile - Joshua Radin

3. Pain Killer - Turin Brakes

4. Warning Sign - Coldplay

5. Ride - Cary Brothers

6. El Salvador - Athlete

7. Hide And Seek - Imogen Heap

8. Reason Why - Rachael Yamagata

9. Hold You In My Arms - Ray LaMontagne

10. Prophecy - Remy Zero

11. Paper Bag - Fiona Apple

12. Today's The Day - Aimee Mann

13. Arms of a Woman - Amos Lee

14. Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk - Rufus Wainwright

15. Paperweight - Joshua Radin/Schuyler Fisk

Y'all know how I love my documentaries and this is my favorite of the year, hands down. Documenting the life and times of John Lennon has been done before but not like this. This film focuses on the U.S. government's attempts to quiet the outspoken peace loving Lennon during the tumultuous 60's. Full of insightful interviews with some of his closest companions, this is a movie that every fan will love.

1. Power to the People - John Lennon/The Plastic Ono Band

2. Nobody Told Me - - John Lennon

3. Working Class Hero - - John Lennon

4. I Found Out - John Lennon/The Plastic Ono Band

5. Bed Peace - John Lennon/Yoko Ono

6. The Ballad of John & Yoko - The Beatles

7. Give Peace a Chance - The Plastic Ono Band

8. Love - John Lennon/The Plastic Ono Band

9. Attica State - John Lennon/Yoko Ono/The Plastic Ono Band

10. Happy Xmas (War is Over) - John Lennon/Yoko Ono

11. I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier Mama - John Lennon/The Plastic Ono Band

12. Imagine - John Lennon/The Plastic Ono Band

13. How Do You Sleep? - John Lennon/The Plastic Ono Band

14. New York City - John Lennon/The Plastic Ono Band

15. John Sinclair - John Lennon/Yoko Ono/The Plastic Ono Band

16. Scared - John Lennon/The Plastic Ono Nuclear Band

17. God - John Lennon/The Plastic Ono Band

18. Here We Go Again - John Lennon

19. Gimme Some Truth - John Lennon/The Plastic Ono Band

20. Oh My Love - John Lennon/The Plastic Ono Band

21. Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) - John Lennon/Yoko Ono

A little Indie favorite of mine, this is a beautifully told story of one woman's struggle to overcome her personal demons, reconnect with the pieces of herself that she's lost and tossed aside and examine how she got to where she is on her life's journey. I found it far more relateable than most will given my geographic location but the themes covered within are universal. Featuring my all time favorite country artist, Mr. Merle Haggard, this soundtrack is full of classic gems that are not to be missed.

1. Killing the Blues - The Malcolm Holcombe Group

2. End of the Wine - Misty Morgan/Jack Blanchard

3. Going to See Cal

4. The Way I Am - Merle Haggard

5. Don't Knock - Taylor Grocery Band

6. An Invitation and a Kiss

7. Silver Wings - Merle Haggard

8. Frog Leg Champ

9. I Got Mexico - Eddy Raven

10. Goodnight Lucy

11. Oh Lonesome Me - Don Gibson

12. Movin' Out, Movin' Up and Movin' On - Troy Cook Jr. & The Long Haul Band

13. Argument in the Parking Lot

14. I'm Going Nowhere - Troy Cook Jr./The Long Haul Band

15. What's Done Is Done - Jeannie Max Lane

16. Owen Is Leaving

17. Jesus on the Main Line - Taylor Grocery Band

18. Gaining Strength

19. Get Back to Loving Me - Jim Chestnut

20. Daddy and Daughter

21. Leavin' Ain't the Only Way to Go - Eric James Jochmans

22. Somebody Pick Up My Pieces - Willie Nelson/Emmylou Harris

23. Lucy is Free

24. Old Chuck of Coal - Billy Joe Shaver

25. It Anybody Asks You (Callin') - Shannon Boshears

The movie was just ok as far as I'm concerned but the soundtrack is fantastic. What I love best is that they used actual snippets from some of RFK's speeches to begin and end the album...God how I wish we had more leaders like him now. The only song that I was completely shocked not to see in this compilation is the Dion classic "Abraham, Martin and John". That's a song that every single time I hear it, without fail, I shed tears.

Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up over the hill
With Abraham, Martin, and John

1. A Generous and Compassionate Country – Robert F. Kennedy

2. Never Gonna Break My Faith - Aretha Franklin/Mary J. Blige/Harlem Boys Choir

3. Tracks of My Tears - Smokey Robinson/The Miracles

4. Come See About Me - The Supremes

5. Function at the Junction - Shorty Long

6. Grazing in the Grass - Hugh Masekela

7. I Was Made To Love Her - Stevie Wonder

8. Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon) - The Moody Blues

9. Black Is Black - Los Bravos

10. Ain't That Peculiar - Marvin Gaye

11. Baby, I Love You - Aretha Franklin

12. Louie Louie - Demi Moore

13. No One Left But Bobby

14. The Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel

15. The Mindless Menace of Violence -Robert F. Kennedy

The reality of this film is more than heartbreaking as you see just what can happen once your childlike enthusiasm for your life's goals have been washed away and all that's left is the dust of the every day. Ryan Gosling as the junkie teacher struggling to keep his passion and poison seperate was GREAT in this movie. It's still in limited release but check it out when you get a chance.

1. Stars & Sons - Broken Social Scene

2. Evacuation - The Somnambulants

3. Wanted - Rhymefest/Samantha Ronson

4. Black Hearts - Remy Balon

5. A New England - Billy Bragg

6. The Corner - Saigon

7. Shampoo Suicide - Broken Social Scene

8. Na Ni Na - Conjunto Cespedes

9. Just Begun - Baby Blak/King Honey

10. Sometimes - Dujeous

11. It's Alright to Cry - Rosey Grier

12. Can't You See - The Marshall Tucker Band

13. Da Da Dada - Broken Social Scene

The film itself is far too intricate and detailed for me to delve into here but suffice it to say that it's not tops with critics AND movie goers alike for no reason. After finally getting to watch the movie in it's entirety, I had hoped that the music featured would make the soundtrack and I was pleasantly surprised at how great of a job they did with it.

1. Comfortably Numb - Van Morrison/The Band

2. Sail On, Sailor - The Beach Boys

3. Let It Loose - The Rolling Stones

4. Sweet Dreams - Roy Buchanan

5. One Way Out - The Allman Brothers Band

6. Baby Blue - Badfinger

7. I'm Shipping Up To Boston - Dropkick Murphys

8. Nobody But Me - The Human Beinz

9. Tweedle Dee - LaVerne Baker

10. Sweet Dreams (Of You) - Patsy Cline

11. The Departed Tango - Howard Shore/Marc Ribot/Larry Saltzman

12. Beacon Hill - Howard Shore/Sharon Isbin

EVERYONE I know that saw this film LOVED it! How could you not? They put the fun in dysfunctional for sure. Told in a way that breaks your heart while simultaneously causing you to laugh until your face hurts, it's no wonder why this is on the top lists of so many this year. Not only did I adore the movie, but the soundtrack is pretty bad ass too. It did exactly what it should in that it introduced me to a band I hadn't heart of before, DeVotchka, and I'm pretty stoked about that.

1. The Winner Is...

2. Til the End of Time - DeVotchKa

3. You Love Me - DeVotchKa

4. First Push

5. No Man's Land - Sufjan Stevens

6. Let's Go

7. No One Gets Left Behind

8. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens

9. We're Gonna Make It

10. Do You Think There's a Heaven

11. Catwalkin' - Tony Tisdale

12. Superfreak (Rocasound Revamp) - Rick James

13. La Llorona - DeVotchKa

14. How It Ends – DeVotchKa

Cute movie, great soundtrack. If I had my way they score would ALWAYS be kept separate from the soundtrack. If I wanted to listen to the score, I'd buy the film score. But...even so, this had a lot of great original songs on it as well as a few new takes on some old classics that were completely enjoyable.

1. Real Gone - Sheryl Crow

2. Route 66 - Chuck Berry

3. Life Is a Highway - Rascal Flatts

4. Behind the Clouds - Brad Paisley

5. Our Town - James Taylor

6. Sh-Boom - The Chords

7. Route 66 - John Mayer

8. Find Yourself - Brad Paisley

9. Opening Race

10.

11. My Heart Would Know - Hank Williams

12. Bessie

13. Dirt Is Different

14. New Road

15. Tractor Tipping

16. McQueen and Sally

17. Goodbye

18. Pre-Race Pageantry

19. The Piston Cup

20. The Big Race

An adorable movie with a great message for everyone! Happy Feet was better than I expected it to be for a few reasons. The music of course was the best surprise but they focused more on finding the song within your own heart which I thought was a beautiful sentiment for people of every age. The other thing that I thought was great was the environmental message that they were able to communicate without coming off as preachy. It was just a really good family film overall.

1. Song of the Heart - Prince

2. Hit Me Up - Gia Farrell

3. Tell Me Something Good - Pink

4. Somebody to Love - Brittany Murphy

5. I Wish - Fantasia Barrino/Patti LaBelle/Yolanda Adams

6. Jump 'N Move - Brand New Heavies/Jamalsk

7. Do It Again - The Beach Boys

8. The Joker/Everything I Own - Jason Mraz/Chrissie Hynde

9. My Way - Robin Williams

10. Kiss/Heartbreak Hotel - Nicole Kidman/Hugh Jackman

11. Boogie Wonderland - Brittany Murphy

12. Golden Slumbers/The End- k.d. lang

13. The Story of Mumble Happy Feet - John Powell

Althouth it was pretty much a box office bomb, I thought it was a really good movie. But then again, I love sports, am a sucker for a great against all odds true story come to life on film and enjoy any opportunity to see the eye candy that is Mark Wahlberg in a football uniform. He did a great job of portraying Vince regardless of what the critics had to say. The soundtrack is a superb 70's symphony too...ya just can't lose!

1. I Got A Name - Jim Croce

2. Funk No. 49 - James Gang

3. Let It Ride - Bachman-Turner Overdrive

4. Drift Away - Dobie Gray

5. How Long - Ace

6. Let's Work Together - Canned Heat

7. Feelin' Alright - Grand Funk Railroad

8. Free Ride - Edgar Winter Group

9. Mandolin Wind - Rod Stewart

10. Fooled Around And Fell In Love - Elvin Bishop

11. I Just Want To Celebrate - Rare Earth

12. Stranglehold - Ted Nugent

13. Do You Know What I Mean? - Lee Michaels

I was so geeked out for this movie it wasn't even funny. I rarely enjoy it when they turn my favorite books into films but this one is an exception. I'd urge you to read the book before seeing it though...they truly are always better. Again, another throwback soundtrack that this throwback kid happened to dig.

1. Pick Up The Pieces - Average White Band

2. Blinded By The Light - Manfred Mann's Earth Band

3. The Things We Do For Love - 10cc

4. Mr. Blue - Catherine Feeny

5. One Less Bell to Answer - The 5th Dimension

6. Quizas, Quizas, Quizas - Nat King Cole

7. Poetry Man - Phoebe Snow

8. Bennie and the Jets - Elton John

9. Year of the Cat - Al Stewart

10. O Tannenbaum - Vince Guaraldi Trio

11. A Great Ocean Liner - James S. Levine

12. Stardust - Nat King Cole

13. Teach Your Children - Crosby, Stills & Nash

I'm still sad that they've broken up in real life...I thought they were so cute together! I liked the fact that this movie had an honest ending (that I won't ruin if you haven't seen it). And, while it was very funny in places, it was also fairly raw and real in how it portrayed the demise of love. It's awful when it happens but dammit, it happens all the time and Hollywood is overdue on cutting the happy endings all the time bullshit. Old '97's in this movie made me smile and think of my friend Shanna who is their SUPERfan so that really won me over.

1. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Dwight Yoakam

2. Who Loves You Baby - Telly Savalas

3. Story of My Life - Social Distortion

4. The Break-Up Theme - Jon Brion

5. Timebomb - Old 97's

6. Boogie Nights - John Michal Higgins & His Symphony of Guys

7. Ay Cosita Linda - Perez Prado

8. 26 - Shawn Lee

9. It's Only a Paper Moon - Ella Fitzgerald

10. Mirror - Jon Brion

11. Time - Rich Jacques

12. La Vem a Baiana - Jussara Silviera

13. I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash

14. Rainbow Connection - John Michal Higgins & His Symphony of Guys

Francis' little girl is all grown up and with this film has cemented herself as an extraordinary writer and director. It wasn't my favorite movie of the year by any means but it was impressively entertaining and the musical selections were top notch. Anyone who can bring back The Cure gets a pass in my world.

Disc 1

1. Hong Kong Garden - Siouxsie And The Banshees

2. Aphrodisiac - Bow Wow Wow

3. What Ever Happened - The Strokes

4. Pulling Our Weight - The Radio Dept

5. Ceremony - New Order

6. Natural's Not In It - Gang of Four

7. I Want Candy - Bow Wow Wow

8. Kings of the Wild Frontier - Adam and The Ants

9. Concerto In G - Antonio Vivaldi/Brian Reitzell

10. The Melody of a Fallen Tree - Windsor For The Derby

11. I Don't Like It Like This - The Radio Dept

12. Plainsong - The Cure

Disc 2

1. Intro Versailles - Reitzell/Beggs

2. Jynweythek Ylow - Aphex Twin

3. Opus 17 - Dustin O'Halloran

Il Secondo Giorno - Air

5. Keen on Boys - The Radio Dept

6. Opus 23 - Dustin O'Halloran

7. Les Baricades Misterieuses - Francois Couperin/Reitzell

8. Fools Rush In - Bow Wow Wow

9. Avril 14 - Aphex Twin

10. K. 213 - Domenico Scarlatti/Reitzell

11. Tommib Help Buss - Squarepusher

12. Tristes Apprets - Jean Philippe Rameau/W. Christie

13. Opus 36 - Dustin O'Halloran

14. All Cats Are Grey - The Cure

I love everything Jack Johnson touches it seems and this is no exception. Featuring Jack, Beta Band, Eddie Vedder, M. Ward and Matt Costa among others how could anyone NOT enjoy this disc? Why they didn't release the soundtrack when the movie originally came out is beyond me but it was a visually stunning film. I don't know squat about surfing but after seeing it, I wanted to.

1. The Cave - Culver City Dub Collective

2. Breakdown - Jack Johnson

3. Know How - Kings of Convenience

4. We Need Love - Johnny Osbourne

5. Transfiguration #1 - M. Ward

6. Let It Be Sung - Jack Johnson/Matt Costa/Zach Gill

7. Goodbye - Eddie Vedder

8. Needles in My Eyes - Beta Band

9. Window - Doug Martsch

10. The Road - Matt Costa

11. Vuelo Al Sur - Astor Piazzolla

12. Home - Jack Johnson

The MSMers got me addicted to this show and I'm so glad they did. It's not often that I'd get into a project who has a pot peddling single parent as its main character but here it just works. "Little Houses" is a tune that'll get stuck in your head no matter who sings it but Elvis does it best here I think. The show is witty and humorous with so many painful undertones that you don't know whether to laugh, cry or both at times. Check it out if you haven't already.

1. Little Boxes - Elvis Costello

2. All Good - Zeroleen

3. Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games - Of Montreal

4. F***, Was I - Jenny Owen Youngs

5. Strange Things Are Happening - Fern Jones

6. Bathtime In Clerkenwell - (The Real) Tuesday Weld

7. Shane Digs Gretchen - Gwendolyn Sanford/Brandon Young Jay

8. Kicking the Heart Out - Rogue Wave

9. The Ghost of Corporate Future - Regina Spektor

10. One Thousand Tears of a Tarantula - Dengue Fever

11. Neighborhood - Aidan Hawken

12. It Ain't You - Squirrel Nut Zippers

13. From Agrestic to Las Vegas - Gwendolyn Sanford/Brandon Young Jay

14. Not Enough - The 88

15. Holland - Sufjan Stevens

16. Huskaroo TV Spot - Gwendolyn Sanford/Brandon Young Jay

I didn't think I'd like this movie but after hearing so many people rave about it and discuss how much people who write would love it, I decided to see it and I'm glad I did. The premise is a bit on the corny side for me but they pulled it off and made a great movie. The soundtrack was just a big 'ol cherry on top.

1. The Book I Write - Spoon

2. Going Missing - Maximo Park

3. Whole Wide World - Wreckless Eric

4. Flours - Britt Daniel/Brian Reitzell

5. The Way We Get By - Spoon

6. Mind Your Own Business - Delta 5

7. Bottles & Bones (Shade & Sympathy) - Califone

8. Writer's Block - Britt Daniel/Brian Reitzell

9. My Mathematical Mind - Spoon

10. La Petite Fille De La Mer - Vangelis

11. That's Entertainment - The Jam

12. Dubbing in the Back Seat - The Upsetters

13. Auditor - Britt Daniel/Brian Reitzell

14. Vittorio E - Spoon

15. In Church - M8 3

I'm a speller, I love words, they excite me...you guys either know or have guessed that by now...so it's a no brainer that this was one of my FAVORITE movies of the year. As someone who's been dubbed the "human dictionary" on more than once occasion, this was right up my alley. I LOVE Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett anyway but add BOOGER from Revenge of the Nerds and the AMAZINGLY talented Miss Keke Palmer and you've got yourself a movie I watched twice in a row with a soundtrack that I rushed right out to buy.

1. A.K.E.E.L.A.H. - Aaron Zigman

2. Rubberband Man - The Spinners

3. Respect Yourself - The Staple Singers

4. ABC - Jackson 5

5. L.O.V.E. - Al Green

6. People Get Ready - Curtis Mayfield/The Impressions

7. STOMP - Brothers Johnson

8. Respect - Aretha Franklin

9. Wake Up Everybody - Harold Melvin/The Bluenotes

10. Prestidigitation - Aaron Zigman

11. All My Girlz - Keke Palmer

12. Proud - Heather Small

13. Scrabble 1 - Aaron Zigman

14. To Empower - RES

15. Scrabble 2 - Aaron Zigman

16. Let Your Baby Go - Erica Rivera

My very, very favorite film this year was about...you guessed it...MUSIC! Full of interviews and performances of some of my favorite artists, both independent and major label, Before The Music Dies is the one movie that I wish EVERYONE who has ever loved a song would see. I could go on for days about how I agree with everything in this movie and how much it spoke to me and how amazing it is that someone FINALLY spoke out but I'd rather you just go buy it and watch it yourself. I believe Bob Dylan was right, music really CAN save people...if we don't kill it first. Here are a few pieces from it to get ya started...