An Education [Soundtrack]

Performer: Original Soundtrack
Artist: Paul Englishby
Distributor: n/a

Notes: Photographer: Kerry Brown. The plot line of Jenny and Peter as two crazy British teenagers in love circa 1962 only gets the ball rolling for the music in the soundtrack of the film An Education. Director Lone Scherfig and screenplay author Nick Hornby decided to base the backing music on jazz instead of R&B or the burgeoning rock & roll scene identified by the Beatles. Familiar hit songs of the era, Parisian waltzes (Jenny is fond of French everything, and the stately, romantic music of Edward Elgar), and groove-based jazz make up most of the music on this recording that should stand alone regardless of the cinematic sappiness. While the connecting original themes are serene, spacy, and not just a little atmospheric, and "Jenny's Theme" is a beautiful piano epilogue done by music director Paul Englishby, the rest of the music reflects the wholesome fun of youth and young love. It's great for those who are baby boomers, and the younger generation who are boomers at heart, to hear great old hits like Brenda Lee's bompity-bomp classic "Sweet Nothin's," the calypso blues "Tell the Truth" by Ray Charles, and Mel Torm�'s rockin' take of Bob Dorough's "Comin' Home Baby" (with the over-punctuated caveat "now"). Instrumentals like the great piano trio version of "Since I Fell for You" by Vince Guaraldi, the memorable boogaloo by Floyd Cramer "On the Rebound," and the surf dude anthem by the Hunters "Teen Scene" might conjure old sentiments, as non-vocal tracks did make the hit parade in the day. Then there's the cheesy Percy Faith opus "Theme from 'A Summer Place,'" which holds equal romantic charm and sappiness. The updated songs include two by the wonderful English singer Beth Rowley, who has legitimate jazz flowing in her veins. She does faithful versions of the slow surrender love song "You Got Me Wrapped Around Your Little Finger" and the great tune of affirmation "A Sunday Kind of Love." For most, the highlight of the soundtrack will be Duffy's retro take on "Smoke Without Fire," as she also plays a bit part in the movie as a lounge singer, and the wonderful American vocalist Melody Gardot sings "Your Heart Is as Black as Night" with the savvy of a scorned woman twice her age. Jenny is particularly fond of Juliette Gr�co, who sings two French torch songs on the soundtrack, and Madeleine Peyroux does her best contemporary Billie Holiday impression during "J'ai Deux Amours." If the movie is as good as the soundtrack, this should be a successful box office attraction for both the tween crown and those who remember the days of innocence, when sophistication was more important than glam or individualism. ~ Michael G. Nastos

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.5