Various Artists - My Year Without Sex Soundtrack (Album)
At first when I received my little A5 package in the mail - care of the Dwarf -following a dismal Monday, I was eager with anticipation. When I opened my little yellow envelope to be confronted with a CD with MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX brightly emblazoned (in red) across its front, I thought it was a sick joke. Firstly, what kind of ironic mood was I in to choose such a dooming title, and secondly, what kind of band would have any such kind of year (or at least admit to it?)
So, obviously it took me longer than most to reveal that this was the motion picture soundtrack for the latest Aussie rom-com… Any need for a reminder of the film’s genre comes in the lyrical form of track nine: the cringeworthy 80s hit Banarama, Venus, and the final Little Birdy number, Beautiful to Me. All of which is starting to tell me that this is not the kind of album you’d listen to with anyone but your highly strung besties, inebriated with wine and emotion…
As well as that - if you’re anything like me - you probably own the aforementioned tracks from former daggy compilations that make up your musical history. This was also the case in the inclusion of universal classic, Mr E’s Beautiful Blues by The Eels, which has probably featured in so many bloody movie soundtracks by now that even Mr. E has lost track…
Having said that, the compilation does offer up a few surprising goodies, including the haunting a cappella rendition of gospel tune, Soon I Will Be Done by Emily Hays. There’s also that cute and nasal ex-Jebediah frontman, Kevin Mitchell, aka Bob Evans with the most optimistic track of the bunch, Don’t Walk Alone.
There’s also the melancholic and bluesy interludes woven throughout the album tapestry by musical legend Bombazine Black, who offers up snippets of amazing instrumentals, including: This distinct blues and roots tinge is also furthered with The Audreys, Lay Me Down; The Renovators, who, like the overriding theme of the soundtrack are, Left with the Blues, and the maudlin, yet upbeat, Wages of Love by Happening Thang.
So although a bit hit and miss, and possibly not the CD you want screaming out of your collection for all and sundry to rock out to, but hey, anyone suffering a Year Without Sex probably takes great comfort in hard-core blues medlies with a bit of Bananarama chucked in for good measure, right?
