College Candy

I’m sure you’ve seen the previews for the new movie “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist,” which comes out tonight. It’s based on a great teen fiction book by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. The book chronicles the adventures of two teenagers, Nick and Norah, who meet by chance in a club and spend a crazy night together in New York City. All the events of the evening revolve around music, hence the title. Duh.

Since music is what links Nick and Norah, so much so that she even refers to him as her “musical soulmate,” the film has to have a wicked soundtrack.

The album is a quirky mix of indie favorites and some surprising newcomers. The preview for the film features two of my favorite songs from the album. “After Hours” by the ever-so-hip, We Are Scientists, with the chorus, “This night is winding down, but time means nothing,” fits the plot of the movie to a T.

“Middle Management” by Bishop Allen is along the same line – fun and upbeat, and absolutely conveys the mood of the movie. Another standout is “Xavia” by The Submarines. It’s the first moment of thoughtfulness on the album and the lyric “Your smile’s on fire/And still my heart will let you down” most likely begins Nick and Norah’s romantic relationship, a pivotal point in the novel and film.

However, the most anticipated part of the album is probably the new song by Vampire Weekend, premiering on the soundtrack. “Ottoman” fits with Vampire Weekend’s catalog perfectly, utilizing synthesizers to keep with their unique style. They also recycle the line “This feels so unnatural to Peter Gabriel, too” from their hit “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa,” which will entice and interest hardcore fans. I personally love the track and am not a crazy Vampire Weekend fan. This versatility, seen not only on “Ottoman” but on all tracks, will help sell the album to even the Top 40 loving crowd.

When I listen to the soundtrack, I can just picture the teenage protagonists running through the streets of New York City, searching for their next adventure. Bright lights, careless abandon and a beautiful, finite playlist to match. A playlist that you could listen to on a brand spaking new iPod Shuffle.

Just click here to enter yourself into Atlantic Records’ sweepstakes to win the Nick and Norah soundtrack that already happens to be loaded onto an iPod Shuffle. Awww yeaaaah. The contest runs from now until October 15th and the winner will be notified by October 21st.

So, hop on over there and sign up to enjoy Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist…indefinitely.