This month, I’m jumping into the #APlaceInTheSong challenge from @JukeboxJohnny2. Great songs have that special ability to describe places in a way that makes us feel like we’re right there. Each day, I’ll pick a track that I think accomplishes that feat.
The French ambient duo Air wouldn’t be where they are today without Sofia Coppola. The director’s decision to include the band’s songs on her movie soundtracks – including The Virgin Suicides, Lost In Translation and Marie Antoinette – gave them unprecedented exposure. For The Virgin Suicides, Air also got the green light to develop the music score, which got the attention of critics and is considered one of the finest scores composed in the modern era.
There are a couple of relatively well-known tracks on it, including “Playground Love” and “Highschool Lover”, but the whole score is worth listening to from the opening track to its closer, “Suicide Underground”. The spoken word narration on this track adds a gravitas that cannot be achieved by standard vocals. Air’s meandering bass line, acoustic guitar and mesmerizing synth notes offer a sterile backdrop for the words to soar on top of. It’s not a standout Air track by any means, but it’s a powerful end statement for an exceptional music score.
“Fleeing from the house, we forgot to stop at the garage.”