Scott Pilgrim: Soundtrack

after a brief hiatus of weddings, babies, and international jewel-heists, Musooklub is back with a vengeance. you're welcome.

Raman Recommends: 
  Scott Pilgrim (soundtrack)
DL Links (2):
 http://drop.io/SP_soundtrack
  http://drop.io/SP_soundtrack2

remember back in the 90s when it felt like EVERY movie had a cool alternative music soundtrack? while i'd not like to make a habit of soundtracks showing up in the Klub, this one felt like an exception, given the particular geeky-significance to me (sure, i randomly posted excerpts from a 70's Spider-Man album a few weeks ago, but none of you listened to it)


if you know me well (or at least interweb stalk me on my bloog), you'll know how fanatic i've become for Scott Pilgrim - the indie comic by Bryan Lee O'Malley - about an out of work guy in a band who meets the girl of his dreams (literally), and must defeat her 7 evil ex's for true love to triumph. along the way are plenty of geek-tastic references (video games, comic books, ninjas) woven into the comic book real-life witty (and at times, charming) antics.

 

so naturally, i was pretty excited when i found out that director Edgar Write (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz - both 5-star films IMHO) was helming a LIVE ACTION version of my new favorite cult-comic, starring Michael Cera (Arrested Development, etc) in the heroic lead role as Scott Pilgrim. here's the trailer:

not only a great trailer, but cool music, eh? and then when the movie came out - it was actually pretty damn good. and i'll be honest, it just missed my far-too-high (i mean, Inception-high) expectations - 4.5 stars (vs an Inception 5). i should have known better. i was crazy-excited for Inception based on trailers and buzz alone, whereas with Scott Pilgrim, i had not just trailers, but 6 volumes (released annually, Harry Potter style) of black-and-white goodness (leaving the rest - everything everything else between the panels and onomatopoeia - to my rabid imagination)

regardless, the film was still great. the full row of my friends i took to see it opening weekend had a great time. the style was fresh, the pacing was fun, and even the colors/costumes/lettering felt like something out of a comic (in a good way). 


and of course, the music in the film was also pretty awesome (music by Scott's band, Sex Bob-omb are actually demos written/performed by Beck), so believe it or not, i actually BOUGHT the soundtrack (thanks Amazon.mp3 - the clear iTunes alternative). if you didn't see the film in theatres - sorry, you just missed it, as while it was a critical success, it's performance in the box office was less than stellar. America just didn't know what to make of it.

Favorite Tracks:
#1: We Are Sex Bob-omb ("...and we're to make you think about death and get sad and stuff!")

#6: I'm So Sad, So Very, Very Sad (not really, but hilarious)

#11: It's Getting Boring By the Sea
#12: Black Sheep (sadly, a little too catchy/poppy)
#13: Threshold
#17: Ramona

Bonus Tracks:
incidentally - a few songs from the trailer(s) were NOT featured in the soundtrack. though they're all awesome/fitting for the film (in fact, the comic creator O'Malley had them in his head while creating SP). so i've included a some of them in the 2nd drop

#0a: Universal Theme (preview here, from the film score, not the soundtrack)

#0b: The Prodigy - “Invaders Must Die” (from the trailer's last 1/3)
#0c: The Ting Tings - “Great DJ”
#0d: LCD Soundsystem - “‘Big Ideas”


About the Album:
here's an excerpt from the liner notes by film director Edgar Wright:

Music is not just integral to the original Scott Pilgrim comics, it pretty much leaps off every other page. Bryan Lee O'Malley's artwork fizzes with life to represent the raucous sounds of the Toronto music scene. This album is lovingly compiled to compliment the film, the book and indeed the city. This is not just the soundtrack to the film, it's almost the soundtrack to our lives while making it.

This collection of songs represents songs that inspired Bryan's stories and characters. Some of them are also songs that are featured on the playlists printed on the back pages of the original volumes.

It also features songs that we bonded over when first talking about the adaptation. Artists we introduced to each other in an endless transatlantic mixture.

Finally and most excitingly it brings to gather some quite amazing artists to bring the fictional bands in the book and film to vivid life. Myself and Nigel Godrich had such a blast working with colleagues old and new on these new songs, I hope you will too

So, close your eyes, whack up the volume and let us make sweet love to your earholes.

Enjoy - Edgar Wright

P.S. You may also keep your eyes open while listening. Especially if you a re driving

so prepare yourself, for an epic of epic epicness.