Customer Reviews

Lost in Translation

5 star:		(84)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Since picking up a copy last week, I've actually been very impressed by this soundtrack, particularly the pieces by Kevin Shields (the sole reason I purchased the disc). There's an admirable continuity to the album, and it does a remarkable job of evoking the romantic melancholy of Coppola's film. Certain songs perhaps grate a little, but there's nothing truly offensive or irritating on this disc. In fact, it's a marvellously serene album to have playing in the background whilst working, I've found. (only the rather weak Phoenix song seems slightly out of place amongst all of the lush instrumental pieces)

I've been a little surprised at some of the criticism I've read of the Shields' pieces, though. These are merely score pieces, written under the direction of Sofia Coppola and Brian Reitzell - and it's ridiculous to approach these four pieces expecting another `Soon' or `To Here Knows When'. The purpose of these songs is to accompany images, not to overshadow them - and assessed on those terms, I think that Kevin's contributions are excellent. Having said that, however, the four songs he contributes are still strong enough to stand on their own as individual pieces. (If you are nostalgic for MBV's screaming guitars, then seek out the stunning six-minute piece that Shields wrote for the LaLaLa Human Steps production `2' in the mid-90s instead.)

His first song on this soundtrack, `City Girl' is about the simple, rapt gaze of infatuation and has really grown on me over the last few days. It sounds quite similar to the MBV songs `Sugar' and `Cupid Come', and its fractured melody begins to make a great deal of sense on the second or third listen. It's also wonderful to hear Kevin's voice again. `Goodbye' is perhaps the strongest of the four pieces - a gorgeous ambient piece that unfolds gently and tenderly over two-and-a-half minutes, and displays more feeling and invention during that time than almost anything else I've heard all year. `Are You Awake?' is similarly impressive and does an excellent job of capturing all the wonder and disorientation of late-night Tokyo. `Ikebana' is probably the most immediate, but also the most disposable, of the four pieces - yet still merits inspection.

The rest of the disc is something of a mixed bag. `Just Like Honey' (Jesus and Mary Chain) and `Sometimes'(MBV) tower above everything else on this disc, including Shields' new pieces, and most of the tracks are actually pretty uninteresting, in all honesty - effective in the film but slightly tiresome when on their own. The Air and Squarepusher contributions are pleasant enough, as are the Brian Reitzell pieces - but `Girls' by Death in Vegas, for instance, is a depressingly one-dimensional attempt to mimic `Loveless'-era Shields, and merely makes you realise just how remarkable My Bloody Valentine were at their peak.

Overall, though, this is an excellent soundtrack - rich and varied, and containing impressive new material from Kevin Shields.

Lost In Translation as a movie had a major impact on me. It got me to thinking about where I was going with my life and what it really means to be happy. As such I think of it as invaluable, and it was a given that I was going to buy a copy of the DVD.

In a more subtle way, the soundtrack is just as much a must-have for lovers of the movie. So many of the moods that Sofia Coppola sets depend heavily on visuals (particularly the night scenes of Tokyo ablaze in neon and bustling with activity) and sound (namely the music). It's hard for me now to look at a night-time cityscape of red lights atop buildings without thinking of Death In Vegas' "Girls."

There are other songs that grew on me more gradually but are no less important. "Sometimes" by My Bloody Valentine did not elicit a major reaction from me initially but before long I started to fall under its spell of fuzzy guitar chords and soothing vocals (yes it's hard to understand what the lyrics are, but the vocals are more like another instrument than a vessel for words). "Just Like Honey" by The Jesus and Mary Chain was a clear winner too -- I'm not sure how I did not get into this band sooner, considering how much I like some of their contemporaries such as The Cure.

But the short tracks that appear in between these songs -- "On the Subway," "Ikebana," "Alone in Kyoto," "Are You Awake," etc. -- these are the "audible wallpaper" that kind of hold everything together. Many people will complain that these atmospheric tracks are just filler, but don't buy into that simplistic argument. These are the tracks that you almost don't even notice because they fit into their respective scenes so perfectly. They are just as important as the lighting, acting, and cinematography, but most people don't think enough to go back and associate these tunes with their corresponding events in the film.

It's true that the Teaches of Peaches song (do I have that right?) is not on the soundtrack but frankly it would be completely out of place if it were. The scene it was used in is, to put it mildly, a bit raunchy, and at odds with the movie's overall intelligent, introspective feel.

If you loved Lost In Translation, then this CD is a no-brainer purchase. Or even if you haven't seen it, but you like Air and other music that sets a navel-gazing mood, it's STILL a no-brainer purchase.

Once in a while there's an album you can never get enough of. The soundtrack to Sofia Coppola's movie "Lost in Translation" belongs in that category. I first heard it a few months ago. The first time it was like: "What was that?" Such an eclectic work takes a bit of time to sink in, but after the second or third listen, you cannot avoid but acknowledge you're in front of an exquisite piece of art. Today it is always playing in my jukebox.

The high moments of the album carry the stamp of Irish guitarist and songwriter Kevin Shields (much like Cliff Martinez did back in 2001 with another splending soundtrack for the movie "Traffic"). His eclectic and impeccable four tracks are perfectly complemented with equally brilliant works by Air (who crafted the music for Coppola's previous movie, "The Virgin Suicides"), Brian Reitzell & Roger J. Manning Jr., My Bloody Valentine (Shields' musical alma matter) and an amazing closing track ("Just Like Honey") by The Jesus & Mary Chain.

Eclectic and beautiful, this is, without a shade of doubt, one of those albums that will stand the test of time, a rare and perfect gem that belongs in all serious musical collections.

http://wairen.bravehost.com/lost.html

This link has what most of the songs are and where in the movie they are played.

Ok. My review is going to be biased and prejudicial. I PREORDERED
this CD because I was so excited about seeing the film, I wanted
to be "ready" to match the music to the images on screen. This
compilation is ambient and beautiful. It is sometimes serene then
playful...and sometimes heartbreaking. But the REAL REASON this
cd brought me to tears was there is a HIDDEN TRACK, people!! At
the end of #15...wait until 11:00 minutes or so and you'll be treated to BILL MURRAY's karakoe version of "More Than This". I
would buy this CD AGAIN..just for the 1 minute of his soul wrench
ing beauty that captures the spirit of "Lost In Translation".
Thank You.

If you have seen this movie and looking up this soundtrack, chances are you have been affected by it as much as I and many others have. The movie itself is best viewed late at night, in a dimly lit (not dark) room, especially after a difficult day at work. This soundtrack is best listened to in a car, again at night, while flying aimlessly down a dark highway, lit only by the occassional headlamps of passing cars, or the streetlights of a nighttime cityscape. You WILL feel as if you are half asleep in a taxi with Bob and Charlotte after a long nite out in Tokyo. Absolutely fantastic and flawless collection of sonic atmosphere. Dig in...

Sometimes I'm in the mood for something mellow and meaningful. When this happens I'll put in the CD player the music soundtrack to the film "Lost in Translation". Yes, I have seen the movie on the big screen and absolutley loved Director/Writer, Sophia Coppola's brilliant 'stranger in a strange land' ode to boredom, lonliness, friendship and jetlag.This soundtrack perfectly mirrors the atmosphere of the movie and the emotions of the film's two main characters. Now I'll be the first to admit, I really know absolutely nothing about electronic music or most of the artists on the track listing (though I do own and admire Air's brilliant work on "The Virgin Suicides" soundtrack ). I'm a complete neophyte to this musical genre. But what I can tell you is that from the second I first heard this CD, I became seriously addicted to the surealistic soundscapes, that these artists have contributed. I enjoy the pieces from Kevin Shields, Jesus & Mary Chain, Air and the rest.This is the type of music, that you just let your brain soak up and take in.From layered guitars to delicate sounds of synthesizers with even some '70s style pop thrown in for good measure. There isn't a bad track here. I even like the hidden Roxy Music tune sung kareoke style by Bill Murray. Rather than belt the song out with pure 'Nick the Lounge Singer' gusto, he instead sings it with a drop of vulnarbility in his voice. It's just perfect. A great movie with a great soundtrack!

What can I say about this soundtrack?

Magic? Hypnotic? The best soundtrack ever?

Believe me, I know about the music: from classical to hardcore...and to find myself bewitched with a piece of music is pretty damn hard.

Then came the soundtrack... Sophia and Brian Reitzell did it!

They made such a great musical ikebana, in this heart filling&breaking movie, that I'm completly and utterly enchanted!

Every and each of the song or instrumental is, well, perfect.

Where did they found those fantastic tunes and performers? How they heard about it?
Air, Sebastien Tellier, Death in Vegas, Phoenix...

And, of course, the classics....
I can not listen Roxy music's "More than this" anymore without thinking about that night in karaoke bar...or what about Tommib? That brilliant little instrumental by Squarepusher.

Try imagining Charlotte gazing through Park Hyatt window with different tune in the background?
If you use, in that scene, very similar Squarepusher's melody "Tommib help bus" it will be good - but not perfect!

Can you imagine the ending of LIT without JaMC's "Just like honey"?

Or that fantastic Chemical brother's piece "The state we're in", which simply lives up this movie for the first time.

I don't have much time to write what I feel about Kevin Shield's work on the soundtrack and about "Sometimes" which drones constantly in my heart, but I must mention only Japanese thing on this CD.

"Kaze Wo Atsumete" by Happy End is a sort of postcard from Japan that will forever remain our little precious item that we've found on this magical journey with sound&vision of Lost in translation.

Caution: This CD can cause addiction. Keep it safe from everything that can play music

I saw "Lost in Translation" a few weekends ago and thought it was one of the best films I have ever saw. Bill Murray gives us his best performance in this dramedy written and directed by Sophia Coppola. I absolutely loved the music that accompanied the film. With some extra cash this week, I finally got around to buying the soundtrack. Granted I wished that the Peaches track was included on the soundtrack but it is no big deal to me. It doesn't mean that the world ends here. After all it was just one song. It did not make up the entire movie. What really gave viewers the emotional turmoil that Bob and Charlotte were experiencing through out the movie were songs by Kevin Shields/My Bloody Valentine, Air, Death in Vegas, etc...etc... . In my opinon those songs were what made the film, not the Peaches song "**** the Pain away". That was just added for comedic undertones for the strip club scenerio. Before I bought "Lost in Translation" today, I had the opportunity to listen to the cd at one of the listening stations at my favorite record store. I thought some of the strongest songs were the songs by Kevin Shields and the My Bloody Valentine track "Sometimes". I loved the whole atmospheric, lush, dreamy quality of the soundtrack. The sound was absolutely perfect for the film. My other favorite songs include "Just Like Honey" by THe Jesus and Mary Chain, "Alone in Kyoto" by Air, and "Girls" by Death in Vegas. I thought it would had been hilarious had they included cheesy rendtion of "Scarborough Fair" with that pseudo-Sarah Brightman wannabe singing the song in the bar scene just before she and Bob hook up. I thought the inclusion of Bill Murray's poorly sung version of Roxy Music's "More Than Words" was hilarious. "Lost in Translation" is a suberb soundtrack. I find it refreshing not to see any of today's [icky] nu metal bands and [tiresome] hip hop artists.

A couple of months ago I took a punt on this movie and decided to give it a watch. Not only was I drawn by the story but the amazing array of music that was present. So of course I wasted no time in picking up the official soudntrack..I am proud to say it has now replaced 'Pulp Fiction' as my favourite ST of all time. (yes I do have varied taste)

I guess you could say I was not drawn to the songs that have lyrics but mainly the enchanting atmospheric pieces that were played throughout the movie. It is on these tunes alone that 'Lost in Translation' is brought to life. Kevin Shields' "Are you awake" represents the type of tune you'd look for when high on caffeine. It is a plain spin out. The two early instrumentals 'Fantino' & 'Tommib' are a short snippet of what is too follow. Those that decide to continue on are rewarded. "Girls in Vegas" is a soaring piece with quiet female vocals that pick up and explode in a mass of vibrant sound and warmth. This 4 minute track is worth the price of picking up the soundtrack alone.

However it is bettered by the masterpiece "Alone in Kyoto" by Air. I'm a big fan of their work from 'The Virgin Suicides' so I was excited to see them on the ST. If you close your eyes and listen you can actually see traditional Japan in your head. It is without a doubt the standout of the album. Let's not forget the Japanese ripper "Kaze Wo Atsumete " from 'Happy End'. This little 70s pop gem holds up the middle of the ST perfectly. And "On the Subway" is a pulsating trance number which only goes for a minute but perfectly depicts that rush of city life in Tokyo.

I am a but bummed that the song playing in the lounge bar after Bob & Charlotte have vacated the hotel for the fire alarm "So into you" is not on the ST. It's a supurb cover and would not have looked out of place on this ST. But copyright and the like probably forced it's absence. It is the only track from the movie which I think should have been here.

OK that's enough from me. The only thing left for me to say is please go out and buy this ST. It helps if you have seen the movie previously but if not I still think you will enjoy it. I have listened to it basically non stop since buying it a few months ago. I have never owned a CD that can make me want to listen to it all the time. 'Lost in Translation' was arguably the stand out film for 2003'. The St deserves as much recognition if not more.

Don't be surprised if you are awake at track 1 but drift off to sleep. It is that type of album. Calm, beautiful, explosive & captivating. A masterpiece.