By Mike Fordham
How popular is the television show “The O.C.”? It’s successful enough to release its fourth soundtrack in two years. The cleverly titled Music From The O.C. Mix 4 continues the show’s penchant for indie rock, opting for a balance of current favorites (Modest Mouse, Beck) and obscure cuts.
It’s irrelevant if listeners love or hate “The O.C.” Judge this album based upon the music, not any ideas about the show. Besides, with such a lineup of quality songs, the album could even draw non-viewers into the program.
Current indie darlings the Futureheads fill the dance floor with their snappy “Decent Days And Nights.” Even with the ridiculous amount of hype surrounding the group, the Futureheads’ dance-rock is a cut above others. Also in the spotlight lately is Beck, who offers up “Scarecrow” (which is also found on his excellent album Guero). The Odelay-era lazy acoustic groove is precisely what you’d expect from Beck, and does not disappoint.
Like any good mixtape, Music From The O.C. Mix 4 sports a cover. The chamber pop group Matt Pond PA tries on Oasis’ classic “Champagne Supernova,” down to the running water that begins the tune. Sadly, Matt Pond PA opts for mimicking the original. This is unfortunate, especially since the band probably could have taken “Supernova” to new heights (check out the band’s disc Emblems for a more representative sound). Still, the cover is a nice treat and sends off the album on a high note.
Most of the fun (and one of the functions) of a mixtape is to hear new music and artists, and this album is no different. For more casual “The O.C.” fans or mainstream music aficionados, this is a great chance to catch up on some artists under the proverbial radar.
A.C. Newman (of the New Pornographers) shines on the well-crafted indie pop of “On The Table.” “To Be Alone With You” shows why the beautiful folk of Sufjan Stevens has been earning praise and fans all over. “Goodnight And Go” combines dreamy techno pop and Imogen Heap’s enchanting voice into an exotic yet mesmerizing listen.
It would have been easy for the album’s producers to simply throw on some popular indie-minded artists (Death Cab For Cutie, the Shins, Snow Patrol, etc.). However, it seems that the song choices and arrangement on the album were lovingly deliberate, much like a great mixtape.