As a friend of mine put it the otherday: "Garden State + absolutely nothing = The Last Kiss." Even though ZachBraff didn’t write and direct this time, he does star in this movieabout, yes, an angsty 30-ish dude who is charmed by a younger brunettesprite of a girl who opens him up and teaches him how to love again. Orsomething. Okay, I haven’t seen it.
But I have seen the track listing forits soundtrack, which is the part Braff did all by himself, and thosefamiliar with his Grammy-winning "mix tape" for Garden State will nodoubt be thrilled. (If your life wasn’t saved by the Shins– or hadalready been saved by the Shins, pre-Garden State, feel free to skipthe rest of this post.)
Check out the Garden State soundtrack’shome page here and the Last Kisssoundtrack’s MySpace page here (yes! you can be its friend!). Note the reappearance of Coldplay, CaryBrothers, and Remy Zero, as well as the use of a 7-year-old Fiona Applesong, and the lack of anything particularly earth-shatteringly fresh andunexpected. Put them together and what do you get? A platinum record,my friends. A platinum record that could put squirrels to sleep.
What bands/singers should have been onthis soundtrack instead, PopWatchers? Here, I’ll start: Margot andthe Nuclear So & Sos. Laura Viers. Rogue Wave. Your turn.
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Also, watch Just a Minute, Dave Karger's new mini-talk show,for his interview with Braff from the Toronto Film Festival.]
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The soundtrack is already #1 in iTunes, has for a while, I think, and the movie hasn’t even opend yet. Ah, the magic of the Braff.
Sorry to disagree Whitney, but I thought the soundtrack was quite good. Certainly better than anything else that’s been released lately.
I really dislike your writing and criticism. Your Pearl Jam article in the magazine was pretty poor as well. I believe ‘out of touch’ is the phrase I’m thinking of. At least your writing is mostly on the web, not the magazine.
How would your artist suggestions be appropriate for The Last Kiss’s Soundtrack? Back up your claim with evidence. You write dribble, your brain is mush, and you often make little sense.
I like the artists and songs Braff chose, but the great thing about the GS Soundtrack is it brought to the forefront artists people didn’t really know much about. The Last Kiss seems to have pretty much the same artists…nothing much new or fresh.
And Ward, you are a jerk.
ASIA tunes! “Heat Of The Moment”, “Only Time Will Tell”, “The Smile Has Left Your Eyes”, “Don’t Cry” would have been great…..Saw the original band on tour last week. Incredible.
Alrighty Pastorek, I was waiting for someone to mention the lack of newness. Good for you for saying what many are afraid to say about Zach “Voice of a Generation” Braff’s latest “mix tape”. If he was going for the same type of mood, there are many, many, many fantastic artists who fit the bill. The only problem is they didn’t go to college with him (Carey Brothers!!!!). Try some People in Planes, The Delays, or The Perishers. Pour, mix, whatever, and you’ll get that melancholy, emotional, more than quarter-life crisis side effect of being drunk…err, I mean not knowing what to do with your life.
Didn’t like Garden State (or its music), doubt I would like The Last Kiss. Garden State was standard indie movie about a white male in his 30s looking for meaning, dealing with the past and finding love along the way. How many movies are about this? Christ. Way too many. Don’t care about the music, either- again, standard indie music. Standard. Indie. White. Do we see a pattern here????
Zach Braff only saves himself with “Scrubs” and dating Mandy Moore, who is kinda cool.
I always read Popwatch but never comment HOWEVA, I had to say something this time–not to you Whitney honey, you’re great and you make me laugh–but Ward, what’s the point? If you hate her writing so bad, why don’t you just roll your eyes and move on?
zach braff is the poor man’s ray romano.
by the way, that is not a compliment.
I am a big fan of Whitney (and Zach). What I fail to understand is why the soundtrack has to be “earth-shatteringly fresh” to be good.
It may be his modus operandi, but I like his M.O. (and this album).
And yes, Ward… you are a jerk.
In an ongoing effort to be a better human being, I try my hardest not to look unkindly upon people who adore Zach Braff mixtape soundtracks. But it is exceedingly difficult, particularly when the “new” life-changing music is several years old.
He’s no Wes Anderson or Sofia Copolla (or even Cameron Crowe) in the mixtape department.
It is funny that some of you are taking Whitney’s criticism personally. I liked the article, and it didn’t make me want to not buy the album, but that is just because I am lame and will totally by the same album over and over again, that and I love Zach Braff. But anyways don’t attack Whitney as a write because you don’t like her opinions. Get a life people, namely Ward, and that is coming from someone who has no life.
I’m a huge Ray LaMontagne fan as you can tell from some of my posts from other blog topics here at Popwatch. But “Hold You In My Arms” was the song that first got me hooked on Ray back in 2004, when the WB used it on an episode of the now canceled MOUNTAIN. It was never a single, but made me rush out and buy his 1st cd, “Trouble” two years ago. I already own the Snow Patrol, Coldplay, and Imogen Heap cds from which those songs from the soundtrack come, so I haven’t gone out and actually purchased the soundtrack to “Last Kiss” yet. But if this soundtrack introduced a wider audience to Ray LaMontagne, than kudos to Zach Braff!!!
Saw a screening of the movie last night – the commercials and thus Whitney’s first paragraph are misleading, so don’t go see it thinking you’re gonna get Garden State 2. I haven’t heard the soundtrack for The Last Kiss yet, but I was psyched that “Painkiller” by Turin Brakes was played during the credits. And the Coldplay song is very well-placed in the movie as well. Don’t blame Braff for playing to the crowd he knows he can get – it pays.
I love the Braff and will probably buy the soundtrack, whether I see the movie or not.
I’m happy they put Aimee Mann on the soundtrack. I think she’s excellent.
I enjoyed Garden State, but didn’t buy the soundtrack but did fall in love with Frou Frou and Imogen Heap’s song “Let Go”…such a chill beat.
I will see The Last Kiss and from the sound of it, probably like the soundtrack.
As for Ray LaMontagne- had a song “Shelter Me” on the Prime soundtrack that was so beautiful that I can’t believe I didn’t know who he was before.
I loved Garden State and its soundtrack. I also own all three seasons of Scrubs on DVD and the Scrubs soundtrack. So when I saw The Last Kiss soundtrack 3 weeks ago, I bought it right away. I obviously disagree with some, but I LOVED it. In fact before I got ten miles away from the store, I went back and bought last Imogen Heap album, the Joshua Radin Album, and the Ray LaMontagne album.
Maybe many are aware of these artists, but some don’t. I knew Imogen from the Garden State soundtrack, but that was it. If it wasn’t for Zach Braff, I wouldn’t have bought any of those cds. So, if you ask me, I think he’s doing somethign right. I bet the artists appreciate any additional sales that the album and the movie contribute to. I have definitly enjoyed listening to their music.
If scrubs is so great why is it that they rarely air new episodes of the show. I have seen the show and it is nothing to rave about. Speaking of the soundtrack it seems lazy of zach just to have old songs on it how about some original songs or songs that you would not find at your local Starbucks. Another thing about why does he always do chick flicks.
mary2-
I think that the reason Scrubs is neglected is a reflection on NBC and not the show. This is, after all, the network which brings us such hits as Fear Factor: Celebreality Star, Deal or No Deal, and Atomic Train (if I’m not mistaken).
HAHAHAHA
Ward, you’re dumb. I believe ‘tool’ is the phrase I’m thinking of. Your comments are dribble (ah yes, I do believe that was the word I was looking for), your brain is mush (“good one!” I say as I pat himself on the back), and you’re often…a tool. Congratulations, my pretentious friend.
Ok, I gotta stand up and defend Ward (eventhough he probably doesn’t need my defense). The problem that I have (which appears to be the same one he has) with Whitney’s article/commentary is that she is implying that the soundtrack isn’t good because it doesn’t have any new music? WTF.
A soundtrack only works if the music is relevant to the movie, and the scene going on when a particular song is being used. This is why the Garden State soundtrack worked so well. It has nothing to do with a song being old or new.
I don’t think you can truly appreciate a soundtrack until you see the movie. The track list for THE LAST KISS looks great. I love Fiona Apple, Rufus Wainwright, Snow Patrol. However, since I haven’t seen the film, it would be completely pointless to suggest which songs and/or artists Zach Braff should have included. Ahem.
So what if Zach chose an old Fiona Apple song. Any Fiona is better than no Fiona. Plus, it’s a great song! I hope a different mix of people hear “Paper Bag” and fall in love with it. Maybe they’ll even purchase one or all of her albums.
I loved the movie. The soundtrack is great too. I don’t know if anyone has seen the movie, but I’ve been looking for the song from Zach and Rachel’s sex scene. It sounded like a decent song, and unfortunatly isn’t on the soundtrack. If anyone knows this song, or a place where I could find out what it is, could you please email me! (say_whoa@hotmail.com) Thank you!!
I just saw the movie a couple of nights ago, and I was a little confused. I never heard Fiona’s “paper bag” or Rufus Wainwright’s “cigarettes and chocolate milk” in the movie. I did manage to catch the horrific excuse for a song: Ciara’s “1,2,step” or whatever it’s called. WTF?
What gives Braff?
What is the song that is played during the sex scene??? I have looked everywhere and it doesn’t appear to be on the soundtrack.
the song during the sex scene is Remy Zero – Prophecy
I just wish I was Rachel Bilson in the part where he grabs her bum before they have sex!!! *sigh* he is so … strange, yet sexy. Also, I think Coldplay are great!