In an age of playlists and autogenerated ways of finding music, “For Fans Of” is here to suggest album pairings to go along with films beloved by Eagles across campus. Looking through some of the student body’s top films, these pairings intend to capture the sound, vibe, and emotions behind why we love certain movies. For any requests or suggestions, please follow us at @WVAUweb on Instagram!
For fans of Sean Baker’s “Anora”, I would suggest listening to Television’s “Live at the Old Waldorf.” Anora is kind of a hard film to recommend one album for, primarily because there is not one defining reason people enjoy the film. But if you enjoyed Mikey Madison’s raunchy, homegrown-esque New Yorker performance, the best record for this was recorded live in San Francisco. Television are pioneers in New York’s post-punk and their debut album “Marquee Moon” is–rightfully–hailed as a classic, but “Live at the Old Waldorf” reflects the ethos of their movement. It’s less polished, more frantic, and holds the spark of 70s NYC that made their music so influential. Tom Velarine’s already kinda whiny vocals become a mumbly whale. The album, much like Anora, feels like it’s caught between two worlds that the listener cannot place. If you enjoy punk, especially give this a listen.
For fans of Wong Kar Wai’s “In The Mood for Love”, I would suggest listening to Jackson C. Frank’s “Jackson C. Frank.” Frank was a songwriter from Upstate New York who never achieved the same success as his peers, such as the album’s producer Paul Simon, but his rediscovery and growth have led to his eponymous debut being hailed as one of folk’s finest albums. In particular, the opening track “Blues Run The Game” best represents the loneliness and isolation of Su Li-zhen and Chow Mo-wan’s performances. Nick Drake does a great cover of the song, too! Life is not merely a sad history repeating, fraught with glimpses of beauty we are always striving towards, but in our own solitude, it can certainly feel that way, and Wong Kar-Wai captured this abstract idea accurately on camera. Frank, all by his lonesome on these songs, is similarly confessional. They feel like stories a man tells you at the bar with a faint scent of bottom-shelf whiskey on his breath; the blues are all the same.
For fans of Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers”, I would suggest listening to Adrianne Lenker’s “Bright Future.” I assume, and frankly hope, I’m not the first person to introduce you to Adrianne Lenker. The leader of Big Thief’s sixth solo album explores much of the same themes as leading characters Angus Tully and Paul Hunham in the film: reflections on grief, family, and recapturing/inventing a past as the need for a future tracts forward. Tracks such as “Sadness as a Gift,” “Fool,” and “Real House” feel like a warm hug in a bittersweet way. Lenker’s “songs” and “abysskiss” would also work in this case!
If you have any other ideas, please let us know! We would love to hear from you all!
Featured Image: In the Mood for Love. Directed by Wong Kar-Wai, Jet Tone Production, 2000.