80's teen movie covers lp to drop...

Frank Black, Kristen Hersh Cover 80s Teen Movie Songs

David Nadelle reports:
Forget the choreographed prom dance floor scenes and the impossibility of unbearably awkward nerds gettin' some from the head cheerleader (although those scenes were awesome too). What really mattered about 80s teen movies was the music.

At times sublimely in sync with scenes of innocence lost and beer bonging, at other times tacked on to pad the rep of an otherwise mediocre film, sweet dreams were made of this stuff. When can we ever expect to see a more perfect cinematic moment than when Simple Minds' "Don't You (Forget About Me)" plays as Judd Nelsoncrosses the goal line during The Breakfast Club's denouement? When Molly Ringwald receives her lifetime achievement Oscar, that's when.

If you miss the movies themselves, there's always Blockbuster or Netflix. If you miss the tunes, a simple rifle through the bargain bin should quench that thirst. But if you want to hear a bunch of indie rockers covering 80s soundtrack hits, then scoop up High School Reunion: A Tribute to Those Great 80s Films when it hits stores on December 1. Featuring tracks by Frank Black, the Dresden Dolls, Kristen Hersh, Matthew Sweet, John P. Strohm of the Blake Babies, and many more, the compilation is the brainchild of power pop labels American Laundromat Records and Face Down Records.

Here's the tracklist, but you'll need a legend to decipher it: Artist - "Song", Film (original artist).

01 John P. Strohm - "Somebody's Baby", Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Jackson Browne)
02 Dipsomaniacs - "A Million Miles Away", Valley Girl (The Plimsouls)
03 Matthew Sweet - "American Girl", Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Tom Petty)
04 Blank Pages - "Turning Japanese", Sixteen Candles (The Vapors)
05 The Bennies - "Weird Science", Weird Science (Oingo Boingo)
06 AM - "Don't You (Forgot About Me)", The Breakfast Club (Simple Minds)
07 Lori McKenna - "In Your Eyes", Say Anything (Peter Gabriel)
08 The Smarties - "If You Were Here", Sixteen Candles (Thompson Twins)
09 Nova Social - "Little Bitch", Sixteen Candles (The Specials)
10 The Modifiers - "Love My Way", Valley Girl (Psychedelic Furs)
11 The Atomic Hep Cats - "Bring on the Dancing Horses", Pretty in Pink (Echo & The Bunnymen)
12 The Commons - "Moving in Stereo", Fast Times at Ridgemont High (The Cars)
13 The Dresden Dolls - "Pretty in Pink", Pretty in Pink (Psychedelic Furs)
14 Kristen Hersh - "Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)", Pump Up the Volume (The Pixies)
15 The Caulfield Sisters - "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want", Pretty in Pink (The Smiths)
16 Underdog - "I Melt With You", Valley Girl (Modern English)
17 The Wading Girl - "Danke Shoen", Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Wayne Newton)
18 Frank Black - "Repo Man", Repo Man (Iggy Pop)
19 PC Munoz - "I Go Crazy", Some Kind of Wonderful (Flesh For Lulu)
20 Bastards of Melody - "Within Your Reach", Say Anything (The Replacements)

* American Laundromat: www.americanlaundromatrecords.com/

Hmmm, might be interesting.

Yikes. The only difference between this and the countless similar comps put out in the late 90s by labels with "punk" in the name, is that for some reason, this one has managed to drag down a couple of respectable artists.

www, no "i'm an adult now" by Pursuit of Happiness?

I can say with absolute certainy that the only two songs on here that will generate intrest to anyone will be Kristen Hersh - "Wave of Mutilation, and The Dresden Dolls - "Pretty in Pink"
Other then that I think this is a very lame attempt to launch 15 no name bands doing songs kids today have never heard...
Oh, and I suppose matthew Sweet, and frank Black are appealing to some people still...

[Edited on Nov 10, 2005 by coldenginelogic]