Sunday Music Spotlight - Kimya Dawson

Sometimes an indie film rises to the forefront of the movie world. It garners attention for its director, its writer, and its stars. And sometimes, if the timing is right, it brings a lot of attention to the artists on its soundtrack. It happened to Iron & Wine on the Garden State soundtrack. It happened to a lesser extent with DeVotchKa and Little Miss Sunshine. And now all the buzz Juno is getting has given Kimya Dawson the mainstream exposure she deserves.

Dawson first came onto the music scene with partner-in-crime Adam Green in The Moldy Peaches. Together they perfected a lo-fi brand of anti-folk and grew a dedicated following. Dawson appeared on albums by a number of different artists, from They Might Be Giants to The Mountain Goats to Third Eye Blind. Eventually it was time for The Moldy Peaches to go their separate ways.

Not one to sit still, Dawson began several different projects. She got together a bunch of friends and recorded an album under the name Antsy Pants. She started recording solo albums, churning out five in four years. She even released a split album with Sunday Music Spotlight alum Matty Pop Chart. Somehow she even found time to become a mom.

The story goes that when director Jason Reitman and writer Diablo Cody were trying to put together music for Juno they asked star Ellen Page what she thought her character would listen to. Page said Kimya Dawson and The Moldy Peaches. Cody and Reitman listened to her and stocked the movie with tunes that span all of Dawson’s career. The soundtrack album serves as a Greatest Hits of sorts, with tunes from The Moldy Peaches, Antsy Pants, and solo songs.

The soundtrack came out on iTunes in December and quickly shot to the top of the charts. It gained the top spot and held it for 10 weeks.

Moldy Peaches - Anyone Else But You

This highly unconventional love song serves as the film’s centerpiece. Sung as a back and forth duet between “part-time lovers and full-time friends”, the lyrics cover topics from the Contra cheat code to Don Quixote and John Henry. The catchy melody, simple accompaniment, and straightforward lyrics make this a truly memorable song, and a fitting theme for the quirky but lovable characters in Juno.

Kimya Dawson - Tire Swing

A great example of Dawson’s ability to craft a simple and memorable melody and plain-spoken lyrics.

Videos

“Loose Lips”

Official Video for “Lucky Number Nine” (Moldy Peaches)

A fan-made video for “Tree Hugger” (Antsy Pants)

Links
Buy the soundtrack for Juno at Amazon
Official Site
MySpace
Kimya’s Blog