Remember Me Soundtrack – Crank up that college radio station

Robert Pattinson’s latest project (sans Vampires) soundtrack was released this week. Since I’m a bit of a vampire fan and uh obviously I write this blog I thought I’d check it out. I was also privy to a screening of the film in November which had only some temp tracks and I couldn’t wait to see what they were going to use in the final cut of the movie. I knew if Alex Patsavas and Chop Shop were attached we’d end up with something pretty awesome, as if their usual M.O. And I think for the most part the soundtrack for Remember Me is no different minus a few tracks I could have left off just from personal taste alone.

Most of this music and these bands were popular in the late 90s early 00s when this movie takes place. Which made me really have to dig to find these songs on the interwebs to share, so listen to the video or open the link in a new window to listen. BUUUTTT I gotta say some of these are kinda painful to listen to because they’re so perfect for that time frame while others make me want to hug my ipod because of the memories. Ya win some, ya lose some right?

So let’s get to it, shall we?

1. Alien Lover – Luscious Jackson

The lyrics seem appropriate as they’re pretty alien to each other for a while. All I can picture when I listen to this is college dorm rooms in the late 90s which I guess is pretty much perfect for this movie.

2. Play On – Kottonmouth Kings

(Video NSFW)
Kottonmouth Kings, named the “Band of the Year” by “High Times Magazine” I’m sure you can see why after you listen. I can see this being put in the jail scene or maybe walking in the alley before the rumble/fight.

3. Kandles (iTunes link) – National Skyline
This is definitely more in my wheel house, late 90s shoe gaze, dream pop!? Yes, please! And of course this means this song is no where (legal) online that I can link to besides it’s iTunes link. This definitely fits brooding Tyler way more than that rap-rock stuff. Imagine the Tyler riding his bicycle in the rain scene.

4. Soft Shoulder – Ani Difranco

This will probably most definitely be a song for Emilie’s character, Ally. Ani Defrano was like every stereotypical English Lit/Women’s Studies major college girls music, this soundtrack wouldn’t have been complete without it, for reals. It’s too bad there’s no Ally going to Lillith Fair scene, this would have ruled.

Follow the cut, trust me it gets really good. I swear!

5. Have Mercy – Two Ton Boa
Never heard of these folks/person in my life and there’s nothing on Wiki about them. BUT I did find the official website where you can listen to the entire version of Have Mercy on their player a la blogspot.

6. Hanging With The Wrong Crowd – Ed Harcourt

Oh Ed… sing to me with your luscious locks and your luscious voice. I just want to skip down the block hand in hand with Robert Pattinson while this song plays… wait… I mean maybe Emilie will in the movie… damn, reality… oh and Ed says “moist” and that always makes me want to barf. But this is such a great inclusion.

7. Why Did We Ever Meet – The Promise Ring

NOW we’re talking! Now, I’m paying attention. I think we all know my penchant for the emo or should I say the REAL emo. This song is from one of the hallmark albums of the genre, “Nothing Feels Good.” If you don’t have it, you really should own it and appreciate it and then you can thank me!

8. You Can See Me – Supergrass

Supergrass will always remind me of my RA, Sean in 2002 with his weird dog that got sprayed by a skunk. So this is pretty much crazy hippie liberal arts college student stuff. Or maybe it’s actually Britpop from the late 90s that hippie RA’s with an old Ford Explorer listened to stuff.

9. Sea Of Teeth – Sparklehorse

This is quite sad actually since Mark (the lead singer) committed suicide this last Saturday. This song is just too beautiful for words about how everything just might be out of reach or unattainable. This should end up in a sweet love scene, maybe that shadow puppets part? I would die from swooning.

10. Andvari – Sigur Ros

We’re obviously now into the swoonable section of the soundtrack. If there’s only one band on this soundtrack that you can learn more about or buy their albums than it is most definitely Sigur Ros. So dreamy, so ethereal, so perfect for a long drive by the ocean or sitting in your backyard looking at stars. What scene will this be in? I can only imagine something super dreamy, or just a floating image of Rob’s head, ya know the stuff good movies are made out of.

11. Parasol – The Sea And Cake

Continuing on with the “sad bastard music” portion of the soundtrack we have The Sea and Cake who bring us another slow jam to be brooding and wistfully look out the window. Hmmm sounds like perfect RPattz material.

12. Soul Brother – Us3
LastFM preview
You’ll probably know them best from that old school joint “Cantaloop” (biddy biddy bop!) but this is a nice little jam to see thrown in here.

13. Open Wide – Long Hind Legs
Blip FM (just hit play next to the title)
Besides combining the song title and the artist to get something sounding totally pervy and some equally risque search results on videos for this it’s pretty good. I love this kind of throw back sound. It’s so new wave and Joy Division and other awesomeness rolled into one. I gotta add this to my list to search for the vinyl of.

14. The Sun Keeps Shining On Me – Fonda

Fonda brings the dream-like vibes with this song and fits in perfectly with Tyler’s broodiness and self loathing.

Seriously, if you love dreampop/shoegaze/indie pop than the 2nd half of this soundtrack is for you. Full of B-Sides and bands you should know minus a few near the front of this soundtrack. I almost wouldn’t buy this based on a couple of picks that were included. I get that we’re going for a soundtrack that encompasses the movie and not just the Best-Of dreampop/shoegaze/indiepop compilation that I would have drooled over but still, Luscious Jackson??

Actually this entire album plays like what you would have heard on a college radio station circa 2001. So bravo, since it’s a perfect portrait of what what Tyler and Alley probably would have heard while at NYU that year. So well played, Chop Shop, well played indeed friends. But seriously can we stop with the Kottonmouth Kings? That was just uncalled for.

Off to think about college in 2001…

Music Supervisor: Alex Patsavas, Chop Shop

8 Comments

Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI