I mean this title in the most complimentary way possible.
Preface -- I've wanted to be a "soundtrack creator" (most likely the unofficial title) for most of my adult life. Considering I don't really think I've begun "adulthood," I'm not sure how much that says about me and my goals. However, it's something that I would truly LOVE to do... I guess that would make it
my "dream job."
Moving on to the B who stole my soundtrack.
After getting through roughly 1/4 of the the first season of Girls and hearing The Vacinnes, Fleet Foxes, Robyn, Best Coast, Santigold and GROUPLOVE playing throughout the many pinacles of Brooklyn hipsterdom, I couldn't help but feel a weird, and most definitely one-sided bond with Lena Dunham. For many reasons, the most important of which being that I would have picked the exact same lineup.
I know I might be taking a page out of her book, and embarrassing the shit out of myself, but I seriously think this girl may be my idol. Or at least someone I aspire to be more like creatively.
I read up on her and continued to freak myself out with my newfound fandom, creating very lofty associations with how similar our musical tastes/work processes are. [Hey, I can pretend to be just as good-- but clearly you know you aren't reading the "voice of our generation" here... all nine of you.]
Here's my reasoning: When I used to read books (don't really have time for that nonsense anymore, but when I did), I would always create a soundtrack to read to. I would get through the first chapter, sense the tone, feel out the characters, and start compiling songs I felt best matched the story based. I used this vague knowledge to dream up what the author's background music might be, or maybe even what they were listening to when they wrote it. The more a song closely matched what was going on in the book or how a character was feeling, the more excited I would get that I could match the two and let them compliment the story as I read. Of course this process was rather drawn out and continued as I read,which is probably why I don't read a lot anymore. That takes a lot of damn time. But it made the experience so satisfying, especially when I could pass along that playlist to someone else reading the book and tell them which tracks go best with which chapter and so on.
I read up on her and continued to freak myself out with my newfound fandom, creating very lofty associations with how similar our musical tastes/work processes are. [Hey, I can pretend to be just as good-- but clearly you know you aren't reading the "voice of our generation" here... all nine of you.]
Here's my reasoning: When I used to read books (don't really have time for that nonsense anymore, but when I did), I would always create a soundtrack to read to. I would get through the first chapter, sense the tone, feel out the characters, and start compiling songs I felt best matched the story based. I used this vague knowledge to dream up what the author's background music might be, or maybe even what they were listening to when they wrote it. The more a song closely matched what was going on in the book or how a character was feeling, the more excited I would get that I could match the two and let them compliment the story as I read. Of course this process was rather drawn out and continued as I read,which is probably why I don't read a lot anymore. That takes a lot of damn time. But it made the experience so satisfying, especially when I could pass along that playlist to someone else reading the book and tell them which tracks go best with which chapter and so on.
Anyways while I was digging around for more ish on Lena, I read an interview she did about the actual soundtrack, and here's what she said: “I make playlists to write by and listen to as I head to set in the morning, and I experiment in editing with songs that the characters would love and that accurately reflect their struggles.”
Jiga what?!?
I was speechless.
I was speechless.
Not that someone has the same mode of self-expression, since music inspires A LOT of creativity beyond lyrical or dance arts, but shocked that I would have chosen almost every song she so delicately and deliberately placed throughout the first season of this show. MIND BLOWN. Heart won. Fan made. Signed, sealed delivered, I'm yours?
(some of) Girls Soundtrack Volume 1:
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