Niki N. Phaser

As the image indicates, this review is about the Music from and Inspired by The Jackal soundtrack of the 1997 action thriller, starring Bruce Willis and Richard Gere. This “discrimination” doesn’t mean that the other album, containing Carter Burwell’s score should be disregarded. In fact, some of the tracks from there would fit inconspicuously on this album, Burwell being one of the most versatile film composers of the last two decades. His slick combination of electronica and a traditional score creates the real sonic trademark of the movie. That and, of course, the opening track, Massive Attack’s Superpredators, which sets the tone for the violence that is to follow and creates a memorable title sequence in the process.

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First of all, you should know that this is not your ordinary pop album, which has some upbeat songs, some ballads, opens with something up-tempo and ends with the longest song. This is not even your ordinary Moby album. There are no tracks here which will get played in Upper East Side hip clubs. No 1000 bpm. There are hardly any drums on it. This might as well be called Moby’s synth strings and pads album. There were signs of the coming of Wait for Me. Ambient instrumentals like the Intro from Hotel or My Weakness from Play would fit without any problems on this new collection. Wait for Me is also the kind of album which works really great if you listen to all of it. It’s a lot like a soundtrack, even the songs with voices.

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Do you get depressed when you’re drunk ? If you are one of those persons, then you really shouldn’t listen to this feel-good/feel-drunk/feel-high hit. The Canadian collective Bran Van 3000, composed of a lot of hands and voices, have certainly did their job in the history of music by giving us this magical “put your hands in the air and a joint between your fingers” chillout piece. Constructed on a what could be a hip-hop beat, Drinking in L.A. could very well be the anthem of the slaker culture of the 90’s, the musical version of a Richard Linklater underground cult movie. It’s a weird mix of guitars and background wailing choral voices and spoken lyrics that generates a special kind of brand of Hollywood bohemianism. It’s quite a reflective ballad. The chorus (“What the hell I am doing drinking in L.A. at 26 ?”) is the question that every confused ex-teenager might ask himself, of course changing L.A. to whatever his location is. It’s about seeing your life melting away, but still not finding the ambition to start doing something, despite plenty of false beginnings (“But we did nothing, absolutely nothing that day”). It will get you a bit melancholic, but it will also make wanna light a new one and enjoy the weather. At least, for today. If it means anything to you, it’s one of Moby’s favourite tracks.

MUSIC VIDEO FOR Drinking in L.A.