Film on Vinyl: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Welcome to another installment of Film on Vinyl, Joe Donohue’s column that celebrates the blending of his love for film and music by reviewing and dissecting movie soundtracks pressed on the oh-so-sweet vinyl record. Next up on the playlist: the "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" soundtrack.

August 2004 was the year that Bryan Lee O’Malley introduced the world to the Canadian slacker Scott Pilgrim and made us fall madly in lesbians with him. That’s right. I used the L-word and boy, does it feel good. I’ve never felt freer. OK, this is starting to get a little awkward, so let’s move on.

Scott’s battle with Ramona’s seven evil exes is so absolutely epic. We’re talking the most epic epic of epicness, so taking the property from page to screen was only natural. And while having Edgar Wright and career slacker Michael Cera on their respective sides of the camera was fantastic, it was the music that really made the film level up on the scale of epicness.

Packaging:

At first glance, there isn’t anything really special about the album cover for “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,” but once you take a moment to really study it piece by piece, the sheer brilliance begins to shine through.

The front cover is simple and straight to the point: Michael Cera’s Scott rocking out on his bass and a simple, yet stylistic, title just above. These two elements perfectly reflect one side of the complex yin and yang that is Scott Pilgrim. Also, having the character on a simple red background and framed in with a vignette helps bring focus on Scott himself and remind us that this journey is his and his alone.

What I like so much about this sleeve is the one-two punch. The front pulls you close and the explosive back cover headbutts you so hard that you explode into pile of coins. Not quite enough for the bus, but a pile of coins nonetheless. Simplicity is completely ditched on the back cover, and we’re given a barrage of pictures from the movie. We’re given snippets to remind us of each of Scott’s duels, and the love for which he fights. My favorite part is the love letter from director Edgar Wright. He talks about his experience on the film and dotes on the soundtrack, explaining just how vital a part it plays in the story and in the crews’ lives as well.

Tracks:

Now it’s time to dip into the meat of the release, and that is the record itself. This beautiful transparent red record houses one of the best compilations of music this side of the Mississippi, and perfectly captures the tone of the film. And while there are some fun tracks such as "Ramona" by Beck or "By Your Side" by Beachwood Sparks, the real magic is in the tracks from the fictional bands.

Crash and the Boys’ rendition of "I’m So Sad, So Very, Very, Sad" and "We Hate You Please Die" is a veritable one-two punch to the funny bone. It’s also a lot of fun to rock out to Sex Bob-Omb from their key song, "We are Sex Bob-Omb," to "Summertime." Listening to this record is like experiencing the movie all over again and will leave you wanting more.

Thoughts in a Nutshell:

The “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” soundtrack is a must-own for vinyl fanatics and movie nerds. The album sleeve is brilliant, the vinyl is beautiful and, to quote the great Edgar Wright, the music is like “making sweet love to our earholes.” Everything about this release is top-notch and gives its owners a fun fantastic experience with every spin. If you don’t already own this record, you need to rectify this right away. I’m serious. Go right now, and buy it. Don’t worry, I’ll wait right here until you get back.

Until next time, make sure you’re using the appropriate cartridge. Remember to always spin responsibly.

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