Punch Drunk Love (Score) [ENHANCED] [SOUNDTRACK]

Jon Brion

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 5, 2002)
• Original Release Date: November 1, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Soundtrack
• Label: Nonesuch
• ASIN: B00006YXF6
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #45,251 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

By turns bold, sentimental, and decidedly loopy, director Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch-Drunk Love has perceptively been described as a classic MGM musical without the songs. Which isn't to say it lacks for music; Jon Brion's glorious, stylistically baroque score matches Anderson's cinematic verve at every turn. Brion variously revives vintage Hawaiian pop-kitsch and Conway Twitty at his early Elvis-clone angstiest, and perfectly recasts Shelly Duvall's determined/desperate reading of "He Really Needs Me" from Harry Nilsson's underappreciated Popeye score as one of his major romantic themes; codependents need love, too. But the major touchstone for Brion's instrumental underscore is the elusive Reprise Records sound of the late '60s/early '70s, with arrangements that seem lingering homages to Brian Wilson's Smile, Van Dyke Parks's Song Cycle, and Randy Newman's Sail Away. The composer's own self-performed pop-waltz of a melancholy love song, "Here We Go," echoes nothing less than the Beatles in their Rubber Soul/Revolver prime; it was even recorded in their old Abbey Road studio and seems to coax musical ghosts from the very walls. It's no mean feat to be both smart and sentimental, but Brion's pulled it off handsomely here on this, the best soundtrack these ears savored in 2002. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ...So Here We Go, July 2, 2003

By	Michael Crane (Orland Park, IL USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Strange... Cartoon-sounding... Eerie... Beautiful...

Those are the words that come to mind when I listen to the score to one of my new favorite films, "Punch-Drunk Love." Composed by Jon Brion, this beautifully haunting score gets in your head and stays there (just like the movie). You pretty much feel a party of emotions when you pop this baby in.

While it can be very melodic and soothing at times, it can also get tense and rapid. A lot of the tunes on the score appear to be influenced by the song "he needs me," which was originally from the "Popeye" movie and was performed by Shelly Duvall. (The original song appears on the soundtrack as well). And you really get the feeling that you're watching some sort of cartoon when you play the CD. How strange I'd like something like this, but that's thanks to loving the movie so much.

My favorite tracks are "overture," "tabla," "punch-drunk melody," "he needs me," "hands & feet," "blossoms & blood," "here we go," "le petit chateau," hospital," and "third floor hallway." That's the majority of the album, but those are the songs I listen to the most. I really love Jon Brion's "here we go;" the lyrics really seem to hit home with me. All 17 tracks are a complete joy to listen to.

If you're a big fan of the film and you love a good film score, put "Punch-Drunk Love" on your list. This is a score that I can never get tired of. I'm glad that I have it in my CD collection and it is a frequent visitor in my stereo, I must admit.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great PT Anderson/Jon Brion Collaboration, May 14, 2003

By	roastbeefalo "roastbeefalo" (Cleveland, OH) - See all my reviews

This is another great collaboration between director Paul Thomas Anderson and musician Jon Brion. First, this is a great movie, and then an equally great soundtrack/score by Jon Brion, with the film and soundtrack working perfectly together. The disc is mostly instrumental songs, but also includes the songs "He Needs Me" "Waikiki" & "Danny (Lonely Boy Blue)" which are prominent in the film. This score is great on its own, which makes me recommend it more than the "Magnolia" score (again by the PT/Brion duo). These two are really able to team up and make the music perfectly complement the film.
Also, if you like this soundtrack, especially "Here We Go", go find Jon Brion's album "meaningless"

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best film soundtrack of the year, January 3, 2003

By	James Stanton (New Orleans, LA United States) - See all my reviews

captures the essence of the film perfectly...you get the Shelley Duvall song and Waikiki and much more.
It comes enhanced with film footage playing Jon Brion's Here We Go. This song is as much important to this film as Aimee Mann's Save Me was for Magnolia.
Unfortunately, I didn't hear it in the film. But I really love this cd.