The Lemonheads, Before Sunrise

I'm halfway through watching Richard Linklater's 1995 talkfest, "Before Sunrise." I've never seen it before, but so far I love it. Last night I watched the trailer (I am obsessed with movie trailers, I have to see one for every movie I watch. Sorry.) and I noticed a really good song about halfway through. After some thorough Googling and scouring through YouTube comments, I discovered that the song in question is "Into Your Arms" by the Lemonheads.

The Lemonheads is one of those bands that I am always reading about and being told to listen to, but I never get around to doing it. Last night I got their album "It's A Shame About Ray" after also downloading "Into Your Arms." So far, I've given it two listens and I loooove it. This is just the kind of music I like. Really basic alternative rock with hooky choruses and good lyrics. They remind me a bit of The Dismemberment Plan and R.E.M.- definitely a product of the 90's.

Into Your Arms (Live)- The Lemonheads
It's A Shame About Ray (Live)- The Lemonheads

The Mary Onettes EXPLODE!

I first heard the Mary Onettes when their song "Explosions" played during a climactic moment of a terrible episode of Grey's Anatomy. I instantly dug their Jesus & Mary Chain-but-poppier sound (listen to the first bit of "Explosions"...very similar/identical to "Just Like Honey," no?). I just heard a new (I think...) track from the Mary Onettes called "Dare" that I like a lot. I first read about it on a blog that compared the track to something from Shout Out Louds, another band I love. I definitely see the comparison.

Dare- The Mary Onettes
Explosions- The Mary Onettes
Just Like Honey- The Jesus & Mary Chain

Also, here's a video, because I can't listen to the Jesus & Mary Chain without thinking of this:

Nick & Norah Redux

I posted about Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist awhile back when the movie first came out, and I just rented it again tonight. I still love it and think it's such a cute movie. The story is really sweet, the cast is very funny, and the soundtrack is awesome. Rent it!

He's Just Not That Into You

Love Actually is probably my favorite romantic comedy ever. I love all the criss-crossing stories and its unabashed schmaltz and Christmas spirit. On Friday, America's answer to that fantastic collection of love stories, He's Just Not That Into You, arrives in theaters. I actually can't say with confidence that it's the US Love Actually, but based on the fact that it's 12 love stories crammed into one flick and jammed with stars, I think it will do.

I'm ridiculously excited to see it, and my excitement only increased when I saw the track list for the soundtrack. Some of my all-time favorite bands are listed (Wilco, The Replacements, My Morning Jacket) as well as the song that my friend proclaims "the greatest love song of all time" (Talking Heads's "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)"). Also listed is Keane's instant-classic (at least in my head) "Somewhere Only We Know", The Cure's "Friday I'm In Love" (which I blogged about recently), and cuts from singer-songwriters Corinne Bailey Rae, Erin McCarley (whose track "Love, Save the Empty" is also featured in the trailer), James Morrison, and Tristan Prettyman.

Rounding out the bunch (of which I haven't even fully described) is Scarlett Johansson's cover of Jeff Buckley's classic (in everyone's head) "Last Goodbye." I'm not a fan of Scarlett's Tom Waits cover album (I thought it was dull and pretentious) and so I'm not too keen to hear her take on this gorgeous song. Except in the case of "Hallelujah," (which is not even a Buckley original, and has been covered beautifully by both Rufus Wainwright and a friend of mine at my high school's talent show), I'd prefer people to keep their paws off of Buckley's songbook. His voice and style is too beautiful to tamper with.

Scarlett aside, I can't wait to buy the soundtrack and see this movie.