What A Good Score! – #32: Greenberg by James Murphy (of LCD Soundsystem)

An occasional series here at "Off The Tracks". Listening back to classic movie scores and discussing their significance; the memories they spark.

I loved this score as soon as I heard it - and I really liked the film. But it wasn’t as if they were even really all that integrated; by which I mean I would have liked this soundtrack album even if I never saw the film, or saw it and didn’t like it. Because, at the time, this was very much about the fact that it was a solo outing by James Murphy, of LCD Soundsystem. But, it wasn’t so solo that it didn’t need that LCD Soundsystem mention on the album’s cover and in practically every review or mention of the album.

And I’ll admit, at the time, I had just fallen - heavily for LCD. These days, I could care less, a couple of bangers, a couple of decent album cuts, a mood, a vibe, some nostaglia - absolutely. But I never seek the music out, nor sit down with it ever. That’s what happens a lot to the music of 10 and 15 and 20 years ago. It doesn’t hang on as long as the music from 40 and 50 and 60 years ago. Well, in my experience at least.

Anyway, I did like the movie Greenberg, very much - thought it one of Ben Stiller’s best performances, and one of Noah Baumbach’s better films. I’m down on Noah these days because he left Jennifer Jason Leigh for Greta Gerwig, then capitalised on that with his movie Marriage Story. Even worse, Marriage Story was actually very good! But at any rate, that’s my baggage.

I never quite believed the hype about Murphy, but I did like his vibe. All this talk of him being the ultimate scenester and DJ and collector and music conduit and curator. And I was always sceptical. Then whenever I heard anything he’d had a hand in, I kinda liked it.

This is very true of his Greenberg score - which is filled with songs he sings that are basically LSD songs without the rhythm tracks, and therefore also something wholly different at the same time.

It also is slightly more “soundtrack” than score - because it includes the key bangers that are in the film; the needle drops. And I like that. But it’s also really a score, and also really - kinda - a Murphy solo album…

So it’s all those things.

It kicks off with Jet Airliner by the Steve Miller Band, which is a superb album opener, and well used in the movie - and just generally a great song from a great, great band.

Then there’s a bunch of Murphy, ahead of the perennial It Never Rains In Southern California (Albert Hammond), and then a bit more before Galaxie 500 (Strange), and an LCD Soundsystem track (Oh You - Christmas Blues) and later in the album a couple more bangers via The Sonics (Shot Down) and Duran Duran (The Chauffeur). And there’s also a Nite Jewel song too. Sure. But in and around on this curation, and some beat-less LCD/Murphy it’s actually the ‘proper’ soundtrack cues by Murphy (Sleepy Baby, Thumbs) that are arguably the most affecting if not most effective, and it’s also just interesting to hear someone at this time - height of fame, I guess you’d sad - doing the thing that that only people as bold as Peter Gabriel and Ry Cooder were doing in the 80s and 90s.

There’s even a nice call-back moment. Midway through the album, and almost in Harry Nilsson mode, Murphy croaks out a wee charmer called Photograph then the album closes with Photograph (Piano) which is all echoy and Neil Young-esque. Lovely. Really cements the fact that he wasn’t just capitalising on fame, wasn’t just having a laugh, wasn’t just moonlighting, this was a though-out and well considered move; this was an album as much as it was a score or soundtrack. This was Murphy’s wee stopgap ‘novel’ or side-quest, as we’d say now.

Anyway, I don’t need to see the film again, but I have very much enjoyed revisiting this music. It had been a while, but way back it was one of my favourites - even after I moved on from listening to LCD. Now it returns, once again, as a favourite once more.

What A Good Score is a new series here at Off The Tracks – looking at movie soundtracks, the good, the band and the astounding…