Track Listing

1. Playground Love
2. Clouds Up
3. Bathroom Girl
4. Cemetary Party
5. Dark Messages
6. Word 'Hurricane'
7. Dirty Trip
8. Highschool Lover {Theme from "The Virgin Suicides"}
9. Afternoon Sister
10. Ghost Song
11. Empty House
12. Dead Bodies
13. Suicide Underground

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7099 in Music
• Released on: 2000-02-29
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .19 pounds

Album Description
Everyone's favorite French duo return with the release of the original score to 'The Virgin Suicides,' their first material since last year's critically acclaimed debut 'Moon Safari.' 13 brand new instrumental tracks (except for the first single, 'Playground Love,' which features newcomer Gordon Traxx on vocals). 2000 release. Standard jewel case.

Amazon.com
Air's debut, Moon Safari, solidified the French duo's position among fickle electronica music fans and earned them critical accolades throughout the press. Yet one of their most important fans turned out to be Sofia Coppola (daughter of Francis Ford), who, inspired by their moody ambiance, asked them to write the soundtrack for her directorial debut. The Virgin Suicides--adapted from the novel by Jeffrey Eugenides about the Lisbon sisters and their quest for answers in a turbulent American adolescence--includes stars such as Kirsten Dunst and Kathleen Turner, and Air make a deeply impressionistic subliminal appearance as well. Gordon Tracks sings the lush and romantic "Playground Love"; the rest is a throbbing score of somber synths and thick washes of modest psychedelic touches that recall the tranquil buzz that comes from too much staring at the lava lamp. The only complaint is that this 13-track album is only 40 minutes long; some of the cuts should have been longer. The meditative quality practically demands it. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews

Haunting music that goes straight to the soul
It is rare at 36 that music has the same mind altering effect on me that it did so often when I was 16. Moon Safari did, and so does this. Other reviewers have already explained that this is nothing like Moon Safari. Not surprising given that it is a movie soundtrack. The tracks are generally short, and they share melodic themes. Anyone who knows 70s rock will immediately feel the Pink Floyd undertones. But where Floyd was frenzied and dramatic, this is smooth and intoxicating.

The album finishes with a track called "Suicide Underground". A deep synthesized male voice narrates the basic plot of the film from the point-of-view of an adult remembering his childhood living in that neighborhood when the terrible event took place. The effect is haunting and profound. The entire album caresses that deep dark place in your concious mind.

You should buy this album if you like Air for their subtle layering of musical textures that results in a sound that is at once original and familiar. If you like Air because it is upbeat and trippy, wait for their next album, which is supposed to be a proper sequel to Moon Safari.

Another promising step for Air
Air's latest offering has a significantly darker texture than either "Moon Safari" or "Premiers Symptomes". This could be due partly to the dark nature of the film this album constitutes the score for. Only one track off this disc features vocals (though several more have voice samples). This is the type of music from Air that I personally prefer. Many of the songs are also quite brief, leaving one wanting more. Thats really the only problem with this disc. The thirteen songs combine to run only about fourty minutes. Some of the songs wind up feeling underdeveloped. That being said the sounds and textures are uniformly brilliant. Comparing the sonic palette (and the whole album for that matter) to Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" is justifiable. I don't think this album will bring Air legions of new fans and for first time buyers "Moon Safari" is still a better introduction, but for anyone remotely into the duo this album is an essential buy.

BUY THIS RECORD!
That's a dreadful headline as it says nothing of any significance but...This record is amazing. Don't buy it expecting Moon Safari 2, though. This is a soundtrack and therefore has a different feel than a standard album. However, you will not be disappointed. If Radiohead and Portishead gave birth, this would be their child.