John's Pick: Leningrad Cowboys Go America

The Leningrad Cowboys – a Slavic folk band tagged as “the worst rock ‘n’ roll band in the world” – travel to America in search of success. That’s about as far as plot goes in Leningrad Cowboys Go America, an absurdist comedy that satirizes Americana, the immigrant experience, and the Soviet political system.

LIST-O-RAMA: A Whole Lotta Elvis!

If a burning love has you all shook up and shuttered deep in a heartbreak hotel, the only thing that can help you and your blue suede shoes is the king himself, Elvis. Whether you’re a new fan or old, the Library has plenty of Elvis books, movies, and music to sate you.

To surrender to the best Elvis fiction, nonfiction, movies, and music, click here.

Lilting Melodies

Does the constant noise of modern life rumple your spirits? Let Emma: Music from the Miramax Motion Picture transport you to a quieter time. This 1996 Academy Award winner for Best Musical or Comedy Score lightly trips along with soft, delicate melodies and the occasional touch of drama. Whimsical string arrangements and romantic woodwind solos dance airily, providing the perfect background for moments of relaxation and daydreams. With this recording, composer Rachel Portman became one of only three women to win a scoring Oscar, triumphing over frequent nominees Alan Menken, Randy Newman, and Hans Zimmer. Jane Austen would certainly approve.

Jazz, Verité, and Random Bursts of Song

It’s not often that a movie begins with the break-up of its titular characters, but Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench is designed to defy expectations.  Filmed in the style of cinema verité, the story follows the couple separately after trumpeter Guy begins a dalliance with another young woman.  Music, a passion for both, is woven throughout in the form of jam sessions and a handful of musical numbers which expose the emotional currents at the core.  Originally created as a film school project, Guy and Madeline made its debut at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival and features a score recorded by the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra.

LIST-O-RAMA: Celebrity Musicians

For some movie stars, Hollywood is not enough. Actors have a long tradition of trying to cross over into other careers – mainly into music. Bruce Willis and Eddie Murphy tried in the ‘80s, Keanu Reeves and Russell Crowe in the ‘90s…but were any of them any good?

Click here to see if any current celebrity musicians can carry a tune.

LIST-O-RAMA: Irish Pop/Rock

There’s more to Irish music than the Chieftains, Gaelic Storm, and Riverdance soundtracks. U2, The Cranberries, Thin Lizzy -- these are only a few of the awesome modern rock bands to come out of Ireland.

 If you’d rather rock out than folk out this St. Patrick’s Day (or any other time), click here.

LIST-O-RAMA: Classical Guitar

Classical guitar, also known as “Spanish guitar,” is a finger-picked style of guitar playing where the instrument has nylon strings, rather than steel. Classical guitarists play more than traditionally understood classical music – all that Beethoven, Bach, Mozart and the like.

To check out the wide range of classical guitar music out there, click here.

LIST-O-RAMA: Rock Out With the Fam

When you turn on the radio, you never know what you’re going to get. The following CDs may not be appropriate for all families, but they’ve been handpicked by an MPPL mom to suit most families’ needs – from punk to pop.

Click here for a lively, rock’n’rollin’ list of albums for a car full of grown-ups and kids alike.

Donna C.'s Pick: The Future Soundtrack for America

Where can you find REM, will.i.am, The Flaming Lips and Tom Waits all in one place? That would be The Future Soundtrack for America, in the Library’s Pop/Rock collection. This album was created solely for nonprofit charities, and it rocks the gamut from David Byrne to Death Cab for Cutie.

LIST-O-RAMA: Crooners

The invention of the microphone changed the way that people sang. Instead of loudly projecting to the back of a room, a vocalist could softly, intimately croon at their audience. Thus the term “Crooner” was created.

Click here for a starter guide to these classic, sentimental songsters.