Movies have long had soundtracks. Videogames have, too. Now publishers are taking a, er, novel approach to musical accompaniment. More than mere background sounds for books on tape, these CDs are also meant to stand alone. Here's a look at three recent best sellers and their respective scores.
The Book: Blankets, by Craig Thompson
Thompson's Harvey Award-winning graphic novel re-creates the author's cold, lonely childhood in rural Wisconsin, along with the excitement and confusion associated with first love. Stark black-and-white drawings recall the deceptive simplicity of a bygone era.
The Soundtrack: Blankets: Recordings for the Illustrated Novel, Tracker
To match the chilly-yet-optimistic tone of Thompson's tale, John Askew of Tracker wrote a somber instrumental score. Askew based his compositions on the book's tropes instead of its plot. The resulting mood pieces are appropriately cinematic blends of post-rock angst and electronic ambience.
The Book: I, Lucifer, by Glen Duncan
In Duncan's book, God gives the Prince of Darkness a shot at redemption. If Satan can spend a month on Earth without sinning, he'll join his fellow angels in heaven. The mortal body he's given to inhabit is that of a suicidal novelist named Declan Gunn (anagram alert!). Dark comedy ensues.
The Soundtrack: I, Lucifer, the Real Tuesday Weld
Singer and producer Stephen Coates serves up a mix of down-tempo beats and cabaret-jazz tunes that reflect the book's themes of nostalgia, desire, and evil's seductiveness. Pairing Portishead's dark theatrics with Serge Gainsbourg's dirty-old-man mirth, Coates' melancholic take on love is devilishly good!
The Book: Born Confused, by Tanuja Desai Hidier
A heartwarming slice of young-adult fiction. Hidier's tale traces a second-generation Indian-American girl's struggle to resolve her family's traditional values with the modern trends and tastes of her New York City friends.
The Soundtrack: When We Were Twins: Songs Based on the Novel Born Confused, various artists
This benign set of folk, rock, and electronic pop was compiled by the author (who sings trite confessionals reminiscent of Alanis Morissette). Aimed at teens, it reflects the clash of styles, sounds, and influences inherent to cultural assimilation and urban living.
- Eric Steuer
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Books With a Backbeat
