Post Grad(2009)

Director: Vicky Jenson

Soundtrack released as download

Clip from Track 6. Main titles

THE FILM

After graduating from college, Ryden Malby (must be an anagram for something..) is unable to get a job and has to move back in with her "wacky" family. Here Michael Keaton excells beyond call of duty as the father, launching into the full routine of borderline psychotic and thereby destabilising the film's focus on the rather bland heroine. An equally dull supporting cast (except Jane Lynch, who also appears to be outclassing the script) and a predictable plot plus routine direction make this forgettable stuff. It might have been merely that but for the shameless opening promotion of MySpace by sister company Fox that leaves one feeling the joke is on the viewer.

THE MUSIC

Beck's score, like the choice of pop items, is unsurprising. He keeps the orchestration light, the pacing brisk, but without any sense of drama to underscore, and action all too brief and fumbled, the result is only a bookmarker score that does what it says on the tin and nothing more. 2009 had better Beck scores released, mostly because they were pegged to better films. Pleasant, clever, sweet, but nothing that makes it stand out.

THE SOUNDTRACK

Bearing in mind the functional scoring on film, it is nice to see that 6 minutes made it to the soundtrack release, although seemingly only as a download. Draw the three tracks together and one has a mildly diverting suite, with the benefit that the unadventurous choice of pop tracks may be left unpurchased in the process.

MP3 ALBUM TRACK LISTING

1. Pony (It's OK) [Erin McCarley]
2. Don't give me a hard time [The Locarnos]
3. Take what you take [Lily Allen]
4. One day [Jack Savoretti]
5. What happened to it [The Bird And The Bee]
6. Main titles [Christophe Beck] (2'03")
7. Always where I need to be [The Kooks]
8. The Queen and I [Gym Class Heroes]
9. Turn back around [Lucy Schwartz]
10. Happerman & Browning [Christophe Beck] (2'05")
11. Wake the sun [The Matches]
12. Brand new day [Joshua Radin]
13. Si señor [Control Machete]
14. I say I go [Kevin Drew]
15. Ryden & Adam [Christophe Beck] (2'11")

Score=6'19"

OPENING CREDIT

END CREDITS

Music editor: Fernand Bos
Score recorded and mixed by Casey Stone
Score coordinator: Jake Monaco

SONGS

"Pony (it's ok)"
Written by Erin McCarley, Jamie Kenny
Performed by Erin McCarley
Courtesy of Universal Republic Records

"Don't give me a hard time"
Written by Joshua Brooksbank, Elliott Marchent, Henry Drysdale, James Sinclair
Performed by The Locarnos
Courtesy of South West Recordings

"The Queen and I"
Written by David Katz, Travis McCoy, Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo, Matthew McGinley, Sam Hollander
Performed by Gym Class Heroes
Courtesy of Fueled By Ramen / Decaydance / Atlantic

"Wake the sun"
Written by Shawn Harris, Miles Hurwitz, the Matches
Performed by The Matches
Courtesy of Epitaph

"Go down, Moses"
Traditional

"Amazing grace"
Traditional

"Si senor"
Written by Fermin Caballero Elizondo, Raul Chapa Elizalde, Jason Roberts
Performed by Control Machete
Courtesy of Universal Music Latino

"I say I go"
Written by Kevin Nicholas Drew
Performed byK. Drew
Courtesy of Nicholas Kides

"Memory"
Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Trevor Nunn, T. S Eliot
Performed by Julie Glaze
Produced by Jeff Cardoni

"Sweet"
Written by Silvana Kane, Adam Popowitz, Toby Peter
Performed by Pacifika
Courtesy of Six Degrees Records / Universal Motown Records

"Jesuita en chihuahua"
Written by Jeremy Sweet, Marc Ferrari
Performed by Joaquin Rodriguez, et al
Courtesy of Marc Ferrari / MasterSource

"One day"
Written by Jack Savoretti, Rick Barraclough
Produced by Marc Dauer

"El microfono"
Written by Holger Beier, Camilo Lara
Performed by Mexican Institute of Sound
Courtesy of Nacional Records

"I can't do this by myself"
Written by Jose Miguek Contreras
Performed by By Divine Right
Courtesy of Linus Entertainment

"Increase"
Written by Louie Schultz, David Vanacore
Courtesy of 5 Alarm Music

"Always where I need to be"
Written by Luke Pritchard
Performed by The Kooks
Courtesy of Astralwerks

"What happened to it"
Written by Inara George, Greg Kurstin
Performed by the bird and the bee
Courtesy of The Blue Note Label Group

"Pop goes the weasel"
Traditional

"Take what you take"
Written by Lily Allen, Iyiola Babalola, Darren Lewis
Performed by Lily Allen
Courtesy of Capitol Records

"Try it again"
Written by Randy Fitzsimmons
Performed by The Hives
Courtesy of Interscope Records

"Brand new day"
Written and performed by Joshua Radin
Courtesy of mom & pop music

"Far far"
Written and performed by Yael Naim, David Donatien
Courtesy of Tot Ou Tard / Atlantic / Warner Music France

"Turn back around"
Written, performed and courtesy of Lucy Schwartz

"One day"
Written by Jack Savoretti, Rick Barraclough
Performed by Jack Savoretti
Produced by Rick Barraclough