Stranger Than Fiction [Soundtrack]

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 7, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000IONLB8
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #67,232 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Book I Write SPOON

2. Going Missing MAXIMO PARK

3. Whole Wide World WRECKLESS ERIC

4. Flours BRITT DANIEL/BRIAN REITZELL

5. The Way We Get By SPOON

6. Mind Your Own Business DELTA 5

7. Bottles and Bones (Shade and Sympathy) CALIFONE

8. Writers Block BRITT DANIEL/BRIAN REITZELL

9. My Mathematical Mind SPOON

10. La Petile Fille De Mer VANGELIS

11. Thats Entertainment (Demo Version) THE JAM

12. Dubbing in the Back Seat THE UPSETTERS

13. Auditor BRITT DANIEL/BRIAN REITZELL

14. In Church (Cyann and Ben Remix) M83

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A CD for both bookish and dumbed-down personalities, September 9, 2007

By 

Sal Nudo (Champaign, Illinois) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stranger Than Fiction (Audio CD)

If you've ever seen the fantastic movie Stranger Than Fiction, then you know how perfectly placed the music is -- and how great it sounds. When done right, the music heard within a movie can really enhance what you're watching. Spoon's angular but tuneful piano contributions in "Stranger Than Fiction," for instance, are tailor-made to be background music as Will Ferrell brushes his teeth and a literary female voice provides narration about the goings-on of his life. "The Way We Get By" is the aforementioned Spoon song I'm referring to, minus the lyrics, and the track's tone wonderfully sets the stage for Ferrell's bizarre travails.

Spoon's music is splattered throughout this soundtrack, and it's a good way to discover the band's talent. "The Way We Get By" is pure sing-along gold, a tuneful, soulful romp with the lyrics of admitted degenerates. Its instrumental representation in the movie, as noted, is the perfect melodic hook. Spoon's "The Book I Write" was another stellar choice for the soundtrack, for obvious reasons if you've seen the movie. It's another crisp and catchy song that leads off the CD perfectly. "My Mathematical Mind" by Spoon contains lively piano and biting guitar -- classic Spoon elements -- and is basically one giant hook throughout. Spoon's final contribution, "Vittorio E," is different, a mellow acoustic number toward the end of the disc that winds things down nicely.

The producer of this soundtrack, Brian Reitzell, collaborated with Spoon singer Britt Daniel for some short, soft, ethereal selections that enhance the soundtrack and give it a "movielike" feel. The piano on "Writer's Block" is especially moving. "Auditor" is a chipper track, more quirky than the duo's previous songs on the CD but still atmospheric.

A few of the rockers on this CD equal or even exceed Spoon's contributions, and that's saying a lot. "Going Missing" by Maximo Park contains urgent guitar work, cool lyrics and a raw, rocking sound that makes you want to discover the band more. "Whole Wide World" by Wreckless Eric, though played acoustically in the movie by Ferrell, is an electric humdinger on the soundtrack. It's debatable which version is better, but there's no denying the power of the raw-to-the-bone song. A demo version of The Jam's great 1980 tune "That's Entertainment" is also a welcome donation to the CD, and sounds right at home with both its more contemporary rock `n' roll brethren and daintier tracks like Vangelis' "La Petite Fille de la Mer" (an aery tune from 1973).

Overall, this CD is an interesting mix of the refined and unrefined, kind of like the elements of a plot within a well-told tale of a novel. If you haven't seen this movie, I highly recommend it.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Weird/cool punk/pop, November 28, 2006

By 

Misa (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stranger Than Fiction (Audio CD)

I love this CD. It is so moody and beautiful and romantic and funny. Something different. I think if you liked the movie (which is AWESOME), you would probably enjoy the CD. The song "Whole Wide World" is the most romantic song with the worst singer ever. But somehow, it's great and I want to scream the lyrics along with him.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best soundtracks in a long time, April 16, 2007

By 

Matthew J. Gronholm "moose" (somewhere in the unknown) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stranger Than Fiction (Audio CD)

the movie which was great is perfect with the music. personally when will ferrel sings "whole wide world" it made the hairs stand up. it was really moving and if you didn't feel it than you aren't human. it is plain as that.