The Book of Life is Hal Hartley's film about premillennium tension and its affect on various divinities (Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Satan, God's lawyers, and a bunch of Mormons, among others). As such, the music here reflects life at the end of the 20th century (minus hip-hop). There's a neurotic PJ Harvey track (Harvey plays Magdalene in the film), existentialist world music from Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares and Osnabrucker Jugend Choir, existentially ambient drum & bass (courtesy of Phyla), a lovelorn Hub, and a numbers obsessed Takako Minekawa ("1.666666," which feels very Y2K).(There are also nice contributions from Yo La Tengo, Miss Crabtree, David Byrne, Ryful, Joey Sweeney, and a very Lunaesque Super 5 Thor). Like Hartley's movie, the album is full of slightly skewed content, but delightfully so.

Track Listings

Disc: 1

  1. Polorum Regina - Osnabruker Jugend Chor

  2. The Faster I Breathe The Further I Go - P.J. Harvey

  3. In A Hole - Phylr

  4. 1.666666 - Takako Minekawa

  5. Two People - Hub

  6. Turtle Soup - Yo La Tengo

  7. Waking Up - Miss Crabtree

  8. My Name Is Rich - Joey Sweeney

  9. Machu Picchu - David Byrne

  10. Mrs. Nedelija Became Famous - Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares

  11. King Of Boys - Lydia Kavanagh

  12. Lincoln - Super 5 Thor

  13. Far From The Sun - Drazy Hoops

  14. Turtle Soup - Yo La Tengo

  15. Love Too Soon - Pascal Comelade/P.J. Harvey

  16. Fugitive - Ryful

  17. Laudamus Virginem - Osnabruker Jugend Chor