I Heart Huckabees (Score)
Songwriter, producer, and all-around musical genius Jon Brion has lent his talents to some of the most interesting movie scores (and movies) in recent memory (Magnolia,Punch Drunk Love,Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). He fills each movie with gorgeous, quirky melodies and instrumentation that ranges from electric guitar to harmonium.I Heart Huckabeesmight just be his best score yet. Tracks sound as though they were unearthed from a twisted music box--a little samba here, a track of jazzy exotica there. But the biggest highlights are the handful of songs that Brion performs. The power-pop of "Didn't Think It Would Turn Out Bad," the Aimee Mann-ish "Revolving Door," and the hauntingly beautiful "Knock Yourself Out" hint at Brion's seldom-heard, yet exceptional songwriting skills.--Jason Verlinde