Customer Reviews

Strange Weirdos: Music From And Inspired By The Film Knocked Up

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

To borrow a phrase from John Cusack's character from "High Fidelity" I sometimes want music I can ignore. This pretty much sums up all of Loudon's music for me. I can always have it playing in the background and tune in when I feel like it. It seeps into my head and pretty soon I realize I have been listening to some amazing songs. I discovered Loudon with "Last Man on Earth" and have been hooked since. I keep hoping others will catch on to his music and when I heard about this project I was nervous. Will he try to be too commercial? Will this become another one of those "Ally McBeal" moments? (You know what I mean...the whist full walk into the ending credits while a song plays and the characters take turns looking into the camera so we can all learn the episode's lessons.) But I should not have worried. Turns out he has been making music that could always be played during the ending credits but the difference is that his words will teach you what the actors cannot.
"You Can't Fail Me Now" may be just about the best song I have heard in some time. So honest it hurts. "Daughter" has been one my favorites for sometime. How does a man who write such amazing melodies toil in relative obscurity?
Others have written more poetically about the songs and the CD as a whole. All I can add it this...put on the CD, do some cleaning or have some tea. Maybe clean the garage or sit by a fire and let the music just play. Pretty soon you tune in and realize you were not ignoring this music because Loudon will not be ignored. He will find his way into your soul because he is sharing so much of his. As for this being a soundtrack...I think his music has always been a soundtrack. First for his life...then for ours. Get this CD, get hooked and don't ignore him any longer.

I found this album after searching for the song at the end of the movie "Knocked Up" ("Daughter", playing during the credits). I bought the album blind, and every song is great (imho). Since then I've heard about Rufus and Martha, and there are several good articles on the web about the album. Kind of folksy, kind of rock. Great lyrics.

"Daughter," from the closing credits in "Knocked Up," is so good that iTunes won't sell it as a single off of this album (the rest of the album is available for purchase at .99 per track...but you won't want it without "Daughter," trust me!).

Although it's true that "Daughter" is worth the price of admission by itself, the rest of the album isn't a throwaway: Wainwright and producer Joe Henry have put together a fine album of light, breezy folk masquerading as the soundtrack to an equally dandy film. Filmgoers won't be familiar with Wainwright (and I'd only listened to his son, Rufus, before picking this disc up), but they won't be disappointed with this album. I don't think I'll be able to go into a coffee shop in the next couple of months and not hear this CD in the background. And that's a good thing.

That director Judd Apatow selected Loudon Wainwright to score his film, and that the latter happily accepted, reveals a lot about the cockeyed sense of humor that both men possess. This is a warm, albeit skewed, view of love and parenthood that will delight any longtime Wainwright fan and, for the uninitiated, will serve as a good introduction to his songwriting skills. One hopes it will also persuade fans of the film to look into his extensive back catalogue of witty and sometimes mordantly hilarious music. Keep up the good work, Loudon!

What a great way for new generations to discover Loudon Wainwright III. I've been a fan of his for years and would have bought the cd eventually anyway but after seeing the movie "Knocked Up" and realizing his music was the soundtrack, I rushed to order it. I love "Grey in L.A." and of course, "Daughter" and have grown to love every cut, even the instrumentals. His lyrics are quirky and memorable and every song is a winner. I honestly think this music can appeal to a wide range of listeners, young and old.

I went back and forth on whether to buy this CD. I loved "Grey in L.A." from the film Knocked Up, but had read that some of the other songs were a little too off-kilter to make the whole album worthwhile. After finally taking the plunge and getting the album, I was pleasently surprised at how good this CD is from top to bottom. Of course "Grey in L.A." is a fantastic sarcastic look at life in SoCal. "Daughter" is an amazing poingnant song about being a father. "You Can't Fail Me Now" is a wonderful change of pace and quite sentimental. "X or Y" is an awesome romp with a touch of soul. These are the highlights of the album, but many of the other songs are definitely listenable, while not exactly outstanding. This was my first foray into the music of Loudon Wainwright III, and I was lucky enough to see him live just this past week. I guess I am hooked as I recently ordered the albums History and Career Moves.

4.5 stars

"Among the long roster of lyricists who dabble in humor and irony, Loudon Wainwright III doesn't rank among the heavyweights.He's too novel for that, as you'd expect from a guy who wrote "Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road." His words lack the punch of a satirist like Randy Newman, his jokes the urbane-light wit of someone like Lyle Lovett. When he gets sanguine about a person or place, Wainwright again falls short of, say, Paul Simon on a good day or Tom Waits on a bad one" Timothy Finn.

That said, this is one of Loudon Wainwright's best CD's. This is a soundtrack album from the film 'Knocked Up" , about parenthood and it is put together a little like life. A mix of old, pesent, new and future. You forget this is a film soundtrack, it is vivid, humorous and honest. Parenthood is mentioned as is aging, suburban discussions and California dreamin. Loudon has a great band and a producer backing him up. The musicians and the way they perform Wainwright's songs are fresh, fun and fantastic. Joe Henry produced, and he wisely took the organic/acoustic route. British guitarist Richard Thompson and : Greg Leisz, David Piltch, Van Dyke Parks. all are part of this great ensemble.

The opening song is my favorite "When it's gray in L.A.", I sure like it that way 'cause there's way too much sunshine round here." an orginal thought that has me smiling. Loudon Wainwright has included songs about commitment 'Final Frontier', 'the number of letters is four, because they are so important, but I could never speak it' ; coming parenthood, a gospel-tinged "X or Y" and parenthood ''Daughter, and a new recording of his insightful 1973 "Lullaby." Loudon is the father of singer-songwriters Martha, Lucy and Rufus Wainwright. There's also a funny look at a midlife crisis, "Doin' the Math" 'crunchin' the numba-everyone's ancient at your high school reunion'. 'Valley Morning' is a wry take "But life is a movie out here in the Valley/What else were we all thinking of?" The most poetic of them all is 'Wierdos'- 'isn't it strange that two weirdos can wind up feeling not so weird- If I let you know me than why would you want me, isn't it great that two people can tear down one wall-Isn't it sad that most people can stay so lonely -it starts with a sentence 'if I let you know me, than why would you want me?" The last song 'Passion Play'- 'it's a wonder, it's a miracle it turned out this way/ what was I afraid of/it's ok, now I am not alone but standin' here with you'. Everything turns around and comes around.

"Loudon Wainwright III's Strange Weirdos: Music From and Inspired by the Motion Picture Knocked Up is a great conversation starter. Not to mention the unusual title, the music itself is reminiscent of John Hiatt or even Jackson Browne. With catchy melodies and songs about the ordinary, this CD could easily be the soundtrack of a day in the life of, well, anyone." Juliet Farmar

Loudon Wainwrgiht may be the farther of a distinguised children of talent, but he can hold his own. His voice never changes. He is the leader of the likes of David Grey. This is a CD of life and what has been and what is to come. Highly Recommended. prisrob 5-27-07

T Shirt/Final Exam
The Last Man on Earth

I saw "Knocked Up" twice at the theatre and was mezmerized by Loudon Wainwright III's beautiful voice and musical score. This soundtrack is lovely, especially "Grey in L.A.", "Daughter", "Lullaby", "Naomi" and "Strange Weirdos". Don't let the title fool you. This CD is beautiful music to listen to. I highly recommend this soundtrack and would give it more stars if they were allowed. **********

Sometimes it's difficult to rate a genre of music that I don't normally listen to. But be rest assured, the quality of musicianship on Strange Weirdos is unmatched. I heard "You Can't Fail Me Now" on the radio before I even saw Knocked Up. For me, this is the flagship piece in the album. Patrick Warren's subtle string arrangement at the bridge is so gorgeous that I rushed out to buy the cd. Now "gorgeous string arrangement" is a phrase that is oft abused, but you won't make that mistake here: the stateliness of the quartet is the core of that which makes perfect unions.

Though "Ypsilanti" (an instrumental) and Strange Weirdos incorporate the same string quartet and similar arrangements, "You Can't Fail Me Now" is the track when everything - lyrics, music, voice, arrangement - come together. Joe Henry, who co-wrote many of the songs on this soundtrack have stated that "You Can't...." was mostly his song. Enamoured with it as I was, I searched for the music of both Patrick Warren, who was responsible for the string arrangment and Joe Henry. Joe Henry released an album in 2007 called "Civilians" which also featured this song. Loudon Wainwright III also performs it live on the dvd extras of Knocked Up. Both versions are without string accompaniement, and to my ears, never quite attain the perfection of the track on this cd. So this version is not to be missed!

As for the rest of the soundtrack inspired by the movie, it's a mixture of what some may call "Neo-Folk," from Van Dyke Parks's accordion-laden opening measures of "Grey in L.A." (which could be read as a repartee to Randy Newman's "I Love in L.A.") to the bluesy honky-tonk "So Much To Do" and "Feel So Good" to the shuffle of "X Or Y" and "Passion Play," the slow 3/4 waltz of "Final Frontier. "Daughter" stands out as perhaps another installment of the ongoing lyrical skirmishes (Father/Daughter dialogue) between Loudon and his musician daughter Martha, who wrote "Bloody MF ****ole" in honor of her dad.

"Lullaby" though a quiet, stately piece musically, contains lyrics that one can't help reading into, given Wainwright's tumultuous parenthood in real life. (He is also the dad of Rufus Wainwright) "Naomi" is another instrumental which is the only piece that sounds remotely like something used in the movie.

Upbeat "Passion Play" closes out a remarkable cd that includes Richard Thompson on electric guitar, Greg Leisz, a host of skillful supporting musicians and the Section Quartet. A plausible and logical combination for a sountrack to an implausible movie about an implausible union.

While a large portion of Strange Weirdos was done for the soundtrack of the film Knocked Up, it works brilliantly as an album. Loudon continues to write in his own unique style that can be quirky one moment and lovingly tender the next. His partnership with Joe Henry works a treat.