...let them eat cake!

Ok, well technically she never said that. Or at least it's never been proven.

I am ridiculously excited to see this film. The first time I saw the teaser trailer




and heard "Age of Consent" I knew that this was something I could not miss. Sofia Coppola seems to have done it again. Another beautiful motion picture with a fantastic soundtrack!

Now this is a music blog, and we'll get to that, but 1st I think a short history lesson is in order.

"Maria Antonia Josefa Johanna von Habsburg-Lothringen (November 2, 1755 – October 16, 1793), known to history as Marie Antoinette, was born an Archduchess of Austria, and later became Queen of France. She was the daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Francis I and Maria Theresa of Austria. She was married to Louis XVI of France at age 14 and was the mother of "lost dauphin" Louis XVII. Marie Antoinette is perhaps best remembered for her legendary (and, some modern historians say, exaggerated) excesses, and for her death: she was executed by guillotine at the height of the French Revolution in 1793, for the crime of treason."
(Thank you Wikipedia.)


The movie however is not a typical bio-pic. Several liberties are taken to modernize the story and make it feel more relevant. The most notable of which are Marie's style of dress and the soundtrack. Sofia Coppola had spanish shoe designer Manolo Blahnik create hundreds of specially made shoes for the film. SJP is surely furious somewhere. Kirsten Dunst even rocks a pair of Converse. Overall the look is much more stylized than traditional 18th century. Which I am not only ok with, I am thankful for.

The soundtrack also has a very fresh sound. It contains both modern "8o's" tunes with classical Baroquemusice. Sofia Coppola's previous films all had fantastic music. The Virgin Suicides was scored by french band, Air, while Lost in Translation had bands like Phoenix, Air (again), and My Bloody Valentine, so I'm not at all surprised by how much I enjoy this score. Speaking of Phoenix, they actually appear in the film as musicians at Le Petit Trianon.

Anyway, I've decided to lay out some of my favorite songs from the soundtrack. Give 'em a listen, and go see this film! It's definitely on my list of things to do this weekend.


Siouxsie and the Banshees - Hong Kong Garden

While I'm certainly not a die hard fan of Siouxsie, I can honestly say that I really like this song. It's upbeat and, with the addition of the strings on the intro, it's definitely how I'd kick off my party in the 1700's.


Aphex Twin - Jynweythek

This track is breathtaking. Delicate andstaccatoo, I expect it to be playing out of a music box. It strums out like a lonely girl, plucked from her home with the weight of a country forced upon her narrow shoulders.

The Radio Dept. - Pulling Our Weight

This is my favorite band of the week. I cannot stop listening to The Radio Dept. tracks from this album. This chorus plays like open air, with only cirrus clouds floating through the space. Absolutely beautiful.

New Order - Ceremony

This track plays in one to the film's trailers and also appears on the soundtrack. I really like the fact that this songs almost skips along. A continuous drum keeps you running through the entire song. I would certainly run through the halls of a palace in a full gown and converse to this song, wouldn't you?


The Strokes - What Ever Happened

What can I really say about this track. It sounds like The Strokes, which is not a bad thing. I really like this song. It's catchy and fun, but there's really nothing new here.

Gang of Four - Natural's Not in It

Gang of Four has really influenced modern music, from Radio 4 to bands like Bloc Party. Dirty guitars, great bass lines, it's all here. Another great up, dancey track to make you party like it's 1774!

Bow Wow Wow - I Want Candy (Kevin Shields Remix)

This is more of a "re-telling" than a traditional remix. It really just sounds like they gave this song a good wash. Scrubbed off all the dirt that's built up over the years and presented a polished 80's gem.


New Order - Age of Consent

This is the songs that plays in the teaser trailer. It unfortunately didn't make it onto the final soundtrack. It's such a great song however that you shouldn't be without it.


"Dear God, guide and protect us. We are too young to reign."

Just because I'm a giver (and because they appear in the movie) I've decided to include this track by Phoenix from "Lost in Translation."