TURNTABLE LAB

the lab review

When the first trailer of Where The Wild Things Are was released I think there were a lot of people who collectively groaned at the fact that The Arcade Fire's song "Rebelion (Lies)" was used as the background track. It was one of those "This song? Again!?" moments, kind of like if someone tried to put a Feist song in a commercial in 2009. Thankfully, Karen O (lead singer of Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and a few of her musically inclined friends were tapped to compose an original soundtrack to the film, saving us all from any potentially aggravating licensed music. The collaborators on the album include, among others, fellow Yeah Yeah Yeahs Nick Zinner and Brian Chase, Deerhunter's Bradford Cox, frequent YYYs collaborator Imaad Wasif, and an actual children's choir who lend an innocent and wonderous tone to several of the tracks (see "All Is Love(1)," "Rumpus(2)" or "Heads Up(3)"). Still, the real gems here are peppered in between the albums more jubilant moments, where Karen O reminds us that she's just as fantastic in the quiet moments as she is in the loud ones. "Worried Shoes(4)" is a fantastic Daniel Johnson cover, and "Hide Away(5)" is possibly the best song on the record, sounding almost as if the ghost of Patsy Cline was in the room when they recorded it. In addition to all of that, two songs that are not featured in the film are included ("Capsize(6)" and "Cliffs(7)"), as well as a short instrumental track by contributing composer Carter Burwell. 14 tracks total on high quality 180g vinyl. Recommended.

reviewed by Hires 09/25/2009

• lab recommended

related items

Karen O & The Kids Where The Wild Things Are Soundtrack CD

also on CD

filed under

• downtempo + electronic - recommended view category
• bestsellers view category
• new rock view category
• downtempo + electronic - vinyl view category
• rock + new wave + 80/90s view category
• vinyl new arrivals view category
• downtempo + electronic - recent view category