The advantage being that the musical score of a film generally only appeals to those who like the film, whereas a soundtrack CD’s made up of music in the film rather than it’s score appeals to a much broader cross section; any funk lover is going to enjoy the Dead Presidents soundtrack likewise any Britpop kid will revel in the Trainspotting CD but if you don’t love The Long Good Friday then you’re unlikely to purchase that album.

However, this isn’t all instrumental material from the mind of one man, the nine other tracks are delightfully eclectic and really add an extra dimension to both this CD and to the film.  Highlights include ELO’s 1978 hit ‘Mr Blue Sky’, which once playing never fails to put a smile on my face, the two tracks from The Polyphonic Spree including the single ‘Light & Day’ and ‘It’s The Sun’ – both from their 2002 album The Beginning Stages Of… and Beck’s distinctly laidback and melancholic cover of ‘Everybody’s Gottta Learn Sometime’ (originally by Korgis), which encapsulates the whole film in one song and is, if anything is on here, a potential single release.  There are also a couple of tracks by The Willowz, a little known three-piece punk band from California in a similar vein to The White Stripes or The Strokes.

As for the Jon Brion score, well that’s pretty subtle in tone and sits quietly in the background of the film adding an extra dimension you probably don’t notice till you hear it again on this CD.  The tracks themselves vary from 14 seconds to three minutes in length so don’t expect any grand cinematic compositions. It’s the music from the film – and nothing more but it does cover a interesting scope from the piano led theme to somewhat more esoteric numbers bringing in horns and strings to great effect that fit well within the context of the film and it’s original story.

Check the film out first, if you love that then buy this and watch as ELO make you smile and Beck makes you think.
(4/5)

Release Date: 19 April 2004