Headphones Not Required

tuneage:

Desire - Under Your Spell

I mean, we here at tuneage think it’s unlikely that any of our readers haven’t seen heartthrob Ryan Gosling’s new film, Drive. It is a work of cinematographic genius. And the soundtrack? Pure perfection. It stands alone but once you see the movie - every song is perfectly linked, if not intertwined, within the film’s plot.

Now, many would argue that “A Real Hero” by College is the breakout hit of the compilation and they aren’t necessarily wrong. But Desire’s Under Your Spell has a special place in my heart. Admittedly, both songs fantastically use a mix of 80s synth and modern indie with simple, repetitive lyrics.

Co-signed.

(via crookedindifference, moderation)

Hans Zimmer - Dream Is Collapsing

“Move Away” // The Killers

Yes, this is from a movie soundtrack for a movie that’s not that good. But as it happens, that movie soundtrack is seriously kickass (kind’a like another soundtrack that is super amazing, but for a movie that is even worse than the one this song is from *cough*New Moon*cough* — that is an assumption, though, since I refuse to see said movie).

Anyway. Good song, good soundtrack.

“New Slang” // The Shins

Maybe it’s the rain, but I’m listening to the Garden State soundtrack today, which I haven’t done in awhile. I might even have to watch the movie tonight when I get home — it’s one of those movies that I’m rather fond of.

“Heroes and Villains” - The Beach Boys

“Ottoman” - Vampire Weekend

I’ll be honest — I haven’t really gotten into Vampire Weekend. Yeah, I know, a lot of folks think they’re the bees knees, but they just haven’t done it for me. Maybe they’ll grow on me? Who knows.

At any rate, I do actually love this song of theirs. Yes, it’s from the Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist soundtrack and that is one movie and soundtrack I am not ashamed to admit I love. It’s an adorable movie, with a pretty awesome selection of songs including Bishop Allen, Band of Horses, Shout Out Louds, and this song by Vampire Weekend.

“Worried Shoes” - Karen O and The Kids, from the Where The Wild Things Are soundtrack

I love this soundtrack. I still haven’t seen Where The Wild Things Are yet, but as I’ve said before, the soundtrack is awesome. I mean, how could you not love it? And if it makes me a hipster, oh well. My ten speed, converse sneakers, and hoodies probably made me more of a hipster than my taste in music.

“Hearing Damage” - Thom Yorke

Full disclosure: I love Radiohead. But not only is the review of “Hearing Damage” on tuneage both funny and extremely well written (even without having listened to the song), it describes the song extremely well.

And again… I’ll probably never see Twilight or New Moon, but damn, I think I’m going to have to buy the soundtrack.

tuneage:

Thom Yorke - “Hearing Damage”

Full disclosure:  I don’t like Radiohead very much.  When some other web-publication named Kid A the number 1 record of the past decade, my emotional reaction was best described as “resigned outrage.”  Perhaps I developed this attitude because most of my musical maturation occurred after their Lightyears-Ahead-Of-Their-Time electronic experimentation had been well absorbed into the indie-rock landscape, or perhaps it came about because I’m sick of people telling me how brilliant they are.  Regardless, I have a tough time sitting through an entire Radiohead LP.

Also, vampire familiarity has bred vampire contempt.

Together, these factors must ensure that “Hearing Damage,” the Thom Yorke mood-piece for the forthcoming New Moon soundtrack, is a sonic splinter to my heart.  Right?  Not this time.  This track expertly exploits the minimalism/ maximalism contrast that defines his solo work. There are exactly two chords in the entire song.  The synths are so dirty, you can hear their individual bits.  The lyrics, written down, wouldn’t fill the front page of a Twilight notepad.  But Yorke takes these simple ingredients and layers one on top of another, building them into something more.  Drums artfully glitch and skitter.  Synth pads sweep and multiply.  Reverb freezes and reverses.  In these manipulations, Yorke constructs a towering monument to isolation, a perfect soundtrack for Bella’s months in Jobian exile.  Not that I’m in to that.