Various Artists - Young Adult Music From Motion Picture Album Review
Album Review
Reuniting Juno's writer Diablo Cody with director Jason Reitman alongside Academy Award-winning actress Charlize Theron, 'Young Adult' was never going to be anything short of brilliant. The beauty of the story, just as with Kristen Wiig's Bridesmaids, is that the lead character was not entirely sympathetic. As Mavis Gary, Theron seemed to take delight in starring as the creatively blocked author who returns to her Minnesota hometown to steal her childhood sweetheart away from his wife and baby. As always with Cody's scripts, the one-liners were snappy and the ending emotionally poignant.
In respect to Juno, one of its strengths was its soundtrack. The Mouldy Peaches' Kimya Dawson featured quite heavily, as did composer Mateo Messina who returns on this compilation with several inspired covers. As well as the Foo Fighters' 'Big Me', Soundgarden's 'Black Hole Sun' and Pearl Jam's 'Even Flow', Faith No More's 'Epic' and Beck's 'Where It's At' have been given a new lease of life in the style of what can only be described as fantastically cheesy elevator music.
Instrumental tracks aside, the rest of the album is packed with classic alt-rock anthems that will make Generation X kids reminisce about life in the good ol' days. From 4 Non Blondes' 'What's Up' and The Lemonheads' 'It's A Shame About Ray' to Dinosaur Jr.'s 'Feel The Pain', Teenage Fanclub's 'The Concept' and Cracker's 'Low' - all those that grunged out in the 90's are going to wallow magnificently in everything on offer here. My personal favourite is of course Veruca Salt's 'Seether'. It's as kick-ass now as what it was when I first heard it back in '94.
It's a real shame that at the time of writing this, 'Young Adult' is about to disappear from cinema screens across the nation. Without the marketing and distribution budget of a Box Office blockbuster, a lot of moviegoers will have missed this cracker of a film. I loved the movie and adore the soundtrack. I hope that come DVD/Sky Premiere time 'Young Adult' gets the recognition it deserves.
