Palo Alto (Music from the Motion Picture) is the soundtrack to the 2013 film Palo Alto directed by Gia Coppola. The album released by Domino Recording Company on June 3, 2014 features tracks from Devonté Hynes and Robert Schwartzman,[1] the film's composers, along with Tonstartssbandht, Mac DeMarco, Nat Wolff and Jack Kilmer.[2][3] A score album for the film was released on the same day.
Soundtrack
edit| Palo Alto (Music from the Motion Picture) | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by various artists | |
| Released | June 3, 2014 |
| Genre | Film soundtrack |
| Length | 40:27 |
| Label | Domino Recording Company |
| Producer | |
Background
editCoppola was a fan of Dev Hynes, and with her friend who knew him she asked him to send an email so that he could use a song and kept sending more scenes so that he could add more music for the film. He eventually co-composed the score joining with her cousin and musician Robert Schwartzman.[4] Coppola wanted to feel the emotions the children all feel through music. She did not want a soundtrack consisting modern music and current pop hits, but something "timeless" and never feel dated when they look back at the film. Hence, they agreed on her notes and let them take their inspirations as what they felt was right.[5]
Hynes called the soundtrack as dreamiest and most brooding, where he "went deep for the soundtrack" and called the "best thing he had ever done".[6] A music video for the song "You're Not Good Enough" was released on June 9.[7]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Artist(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Palo Alto" | Devonté Hynes | 2:44 |
| 2. | "Ode to Viceroy" | Mac DeMarco | 3:53 |
| 3. | "Fútbol Americano" | Robert Schwartzman | 1:19 |
| 4. | "Champagne Coast" | Blood Orange | 4:52 |
| 5. | "5Ft7" | Tonstartssbandht | 3:25 |
| 6. | "Is This Sound Okay?" | Coconut Records | 3:07 |
| 7. | "Rock Star" (film version) | Nat and Alex Wolff | 3:12 |
| 8. | "Senza Mamma" | Francesco Pennino | 3:25 |
| 9. | "Graveyard" | Robert Schwartzman | 1:17 |
| 10. | "So Bad" | Robert Schwartzman | 4:16 |
| 11. | "April's Daydream" | Devonté Hynes | 1:54 |
| 12. | "It's You" | Robert Schwartzman | 3:32 |
| 13. | "T.M." | Jack Kilmer | 1:10 |
| 14. | "You're Not Good Enough" | Blood Orange | 4:21 |
| Total length: | 42:27 | ||
Reception
editJames Christopher Monger of AllMusic gave 3 stars out of 5 calling it as "a curious collection of druggy, ambient pop that dutifully mimics the permeable pleasures of both summer and youth".[8] Ian Cohen of Pitchfork gave 3.5 out of 10 summarising "you get a couple of lo-fi electro-alt songs featured in grim high school movies, but the soundtrack does not exactly resemble the Folk Implosion".[9] Tom Shone of The Guardian described the soundtrack as "a layering of sweet synth pop" comparing Gia's style of filmmaking being influenced by her aunt Sofia Coppola,[10] and The Boston Globe-critic Ty Burr also complimented the same while highlighting the collection as "moody" and "obscure".[11] Empire and IndieWire ranked it as one among the best soundtracks of 2014.[12][13]
Score
edit| Palo Alto (Original Motion Picture Score) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Film score by | ||||
| Released | June 3, 2014 | |||
| Genre | Film score | |||
| Length | 29:09 | |||
| Label | Domino Recording Company | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Devonté Hynes chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Robert Schwartzman chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
editThe score consisted a blend of oboes, cellos, saxophones and synthesizers, with Hynes providing vocals for three of the tracks. At the New York University, where Hynes gave a speech on how his songwriting being influenced by synesthesia (a condition that links the senses) where he could associate every sound he hears with a color. In the case of Palo Alto, he thought red as the primary color for the film.[6][14]
The album was preceded by the first single "April's Bathroom Bummer" released on the same day as the album's release.[15]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Palo Alto" | 2:46 |
| 2. | "Soccer Field" | 1:34 |
| 3. | "Teddy & April" | 0:47 |
| 4. | "April's Daydream" | 1:55 |
| 5. | "Run To Graveyard" | 0:43 |
| 6. | "April's Bathroom Bummer" | 2:36 |
| 7. | "Emily & Fred, Pt. 1" | 0:52 |
| 8. | "Emily & Fred, Pt. 2" | 1:40 |
| 9. | "Teddy Rides Home" | 1:47 |
| 10. | "Teddy & Fred In the Playground" | 1:41 |
| 11. | "Teddy In the Library" | 2:03 |
| 12. | "Big Game" | 1:44 |
| 13. | "April Bounces" | 1:07 |
| 14. | "Skateboard Garage" | 1:13 |
| 15. | "Teddy Loves April" | 0:56 |
| 16. | "April By the Pool" | 0:33 |
| 17. | "Fred Drives" | 4:35 |
| 18. | "Teddy Is Crushed" | 0:37 |
| Total length: | 29:09 | |
Reception
editCohen, writing for Pitchfork rated 5.5 out of 10 to the score summarising "Palo Alto may only be useful as background music, but as long as Hynes’ star continues to rise, it's hard not to see him potentially getting more work in this vein."[9] Rhian Daly of NME gave three-and-a-half out of five, saying "Palo Alto adds yet another string to Hynes’ bow. Despite its sketch-like form, his first foray into film scores shows that his mind is as inquisitive and creative as ever."[16] Sam Moore of Drowned in Sound gave 6 out of 10, calling it as "a pleasant enough collection, one that’s presumably made all the more poignant by having actually seen the film. Even then, it’s sadly not comparable with the kind of immediately replayable soundtracks that really gave the likes of Submarine or The Social Network that extra edge."[17]
References
edit- ^ Buckley, Cara (May 1, 2014). "Unto the Next Generation, Cinematically". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 5, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ Daly, Rhian (April 26, 2014). "Blood Orange's Dev Hynes to score new James Franco movie, Palo Alto". NME. Archived from the original on February 28, 2017. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ Fact (April 25, 2014). "Blood Orange's Dev Hynes scores James Franco movie Palo Alto – hear a track". Fact Magazine. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ O'Connell, Max (August 5, 2014). "Why Gia Coppola Was Embarrassed to Show Her Family 'Palo Alto'". IndieWire. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ "Gia Coppola Talks 'Palo Alto' And James Franco's Take On The Female Perspective". Tribeca. May 7, 2014. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ a b Lamphier, Jason (February 10, 2014). "How Devonte Hynes of Blood Orange Saved Pop Music". Out. Archived from the original on May 3, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ "Blood Orange's Dev Hynes Is an Amazing Dancer in His "You're Not Good Enough" Video". Pitchfork. June 9, 2014. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ Christopher Monger, James. "Palo Alto [Music from the Motion Picture] – Soundtrack". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on June 23, 2014. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
- ^ a b Cohen, Ian (June 18, 2014). "Various Artists: Palo Alto: Music From the Motion Picture/Devonté Hynes: Palo Alto: Original Motion Picture Score". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on July 30, 2014. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
- ^ Shone, Tom (May 8, 2014). "Palo Alto: 'Away from Emma Roberts, the film drifts' – first look review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on July 24, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ Burr, Ty (May 15, 2014). "'Palo Alto' knows its place". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on August 20, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ "2014 in Movies: The 10 Best Soundtracks". Empire. 2014. Archived from the original on June 1, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ The Playlist Staff (December 10, 2014). "Best Of 2014: The 15 Best Movie Soundtracks Of 2014". IndieWire. Archived from the original on June 28, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ Beta, Andy (February 5, 2014). "Dev Hynes, aka Blood Orange, Returns to NYC for Webster Hall Concert". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on February 6, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ Cooper, Leonie (June 3, 2014). "Blood Orange's Dev Hynes shares new song 'April's Bathroom Bummer' – listen". NME. Archived from the original on February 28, 2017. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ Wright, Lisa (August 1, 2014). "Devonte Hynes – 'Palo Alto OST'". NME. Inspire. Archived from the original on August 5, 2014. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
- ^ Moore, Sam (July 31, 2014). "Album Review: Devonté Hynes – Palo Alto: Original Motion Picture Score". Drowned in Sound. Silentway. Archived from the original on December 27, 2014. Retrieved December 27, 2014.