The Garden State soundtrack changed many lives, not just Natalie Portman‘s.
The musical companion to the mid-2000s indie classic, starring, written and directed by Zach Braff, was released Aug. 10, 2004, 20 years ago Saturday. Just as the movie brought more attention to independent cinema, the Garden State soundtrack put a greater spotlight on indie rock music, particularly The Shins.
Those who’ve seen Garden State — and possibly even those who haven’t — will of course remember the scene where Portman’s character, Sam, hands Braff’s character, Andrew, a pair of over-the-ear headphones as she tells him the song he’s about to hear will “change your life.” We then hear The Shins’ “New Slang” start to play.
“New Slang” is included on the soundtrack, as is another Shins tune, “Caring Is Creepy.” Both tracks appeared on The Shins’ debut album, Oh, Inverted World, which was released in 2001.
Following Garden State, The Shins transcended their indie darling status and entered the mainstream. So much so that their first album post-Garden State, 2007’s Wincing the Night Away, debuted at a career-high #2 on the Billboard 200.
“I feel like Zach and the film and then the soundtrack being popular, it kind of changed the culture,” frontman James Mercer told The Hollywood Reporter. “Indie music started to be not just something you make fun of, and people kind of discovered there’s interesting stuff on these smaller labels.”
The soundtrack also included Coldplay‘s “Don’t Panic” and a cover of The Postal Service‘s “Such Great Heights” by Iron & Wine. It won a Grammy and is certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
The Garden State soundtrack changed many lives, not just Natalie Portman‘s.
The musical companion to the mid-2000s indie classic, starring, written and directed by Zach Braff, was released Aug. 10, 2004, 20 years ago Saturday. Just as the movie brought more attention to independent cinema, the Garden State soundtrack put a greater spotlight on indie rock music, particularly The Shins.
Those who’ve seen Garden State — and possibly even those who haven’t — will of course remember the scene where Portman’s character, Sam, hands Braff’s character, Andrew, a pair of over-the-ear headphones as she tells him the song he’s about to hear will “change your life.” We then hear The Shins’ “New Slang” start to play.
“New Slang” is included on the soundtrack, as is another Shins tune, “Caring Is Creepy.” Both tracks appeared on The Shins’ debut album, Oh, Inverted World, which was released in 2001.
Following Garden State, The Shins transcended their indie darling status and entered the mainstream. So much so that their first album post-Garden State, 2007’s Wincing the Night Away, debuted at a career-high #2 on the Billboard 200.
“I feel like Zach and the film and then the soundtrack being popular, it kind of changed the culture,” frontman James Mercer told The Hollywood Reporter. “Indie music started to be not just something you make fun of, and people kind of discovered there’s interesting stuff on these smaller labels.”
The soundtrack also included Coldplay‘s “Don’t Panic” and a cover of The Postal Service‘s “Such Great Heights” by Iron & Wine. It won a Grammy and is certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.