Cinephiles will know My Blueberry Nights as Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai's first American movie; music fans will know it as Norah Jones' first movie, period. Not only does she play one of the leads, but she also contributes a new song, "The Story," to the soundtrack. Backed by brushed drums, a stand-up bass, and a cool piano, Jones is at her jazziest and sultriest, oozing a sly honky-tonk, come-hither sensibility. Ry Cooder's score is represented by a trio of tracks; the best, "Ely Nevada," is a spooky little thing that feels lifted from a David Lynch movie, but Cooder's spectacular (and varied) guitar work is in evidence on all three cues. Two other instrumentals are the acoustic, wistful "Pajaros," by Gustavo Santaolalla (Brokeback Mountain), and Shigeru Umebayashi's "Yumeji’s Theme," already in the director's In the Mood for Love. Fittingly, for a romantic road movie that takes place partly on the ghostly, highly symbolic Route 66, the rest of the album is made up of songs that represent very American sounds. Cat Power (who has a cameo in the film) brings two tunes from her Memphis album, The Greatest, and they coexist nicely next to Otis Redding's smoldering "Try a Little Tenderness," Cassandra Wilson's eerie cover of Neil Young's "Harvest Moon," and Mavis Staples' powerful take on "Eyes on the Prize." --Elisabeth Vincentelli
Lee Armstrong (Winterville, NC United States) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: My Blueberry Nights (Audio CD)
"My Blueberry Nights" is a strong soundtrack collection. Norah Jones who stars in the film wrote the song "The Story" on set, which was included in the film. She sings, "I don't know how to begin because the story has been told before; I will sing along, I suppose it's just how it goes." Director Kar Wai explains in the liner notes that he went to music stores and bought CDs that were played on the stereo on cross country trips which scouted locations for the film. He loved Cat Power's CD The Greatest and included that title track and "Living Proof" from the CD on the soundtrack. Cassandra Wilson's recording of Neil Young's "Harvest Moon" was another track that he put together with a slide show from the road trips to help Norah Young get a feel for the film's content. Ry Cooder also contributed to the film with several of his...Read more
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
slippery blueberries, June 29, 2008
John Wallingford "jack" (mantua) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: My Blueberry Nights (Audio CD)
This soundtrack album is filled with gems. Why and how they put this cd together is beyond me, but it is filled with soul and wonderful tunes that probably fit the movie, but their compendium into an album does not make total sense to me. How does Ruth Brown fit with the others? What brings these songs together. I have a feeling that they were culled from someone's favorite records. Norah Jones maybe and used as a background to the movie, but they are too good to be background music. So how this came together is beyond me, but now that it is together it is a great cd of seemingly unrelated tunes. excellent. jack w.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
my blueberry nights ~ should have been up for awards!!, July 24, 2009
A. Butler "darth random" (the big D) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: My Blueberry Nights (Audio CD)
this is an excellent movie with a wonderful soundtrack!! if you like good relaxing blues music its the perfect soundtrack for you! the movie is soooo good, hate that its not more well known! it should have been up for awards. despite what some have said norah jones is great in the movie. i consider people good actors when i forget who they are in real life and see who they are as the character only, everyone in this movie does that for me!! very well written, and great how its portrayed! a must check it out!!
(4 customer reviews) 
Just How It Goes, July 5, 2008 
my blueberry nights ~ should have been up for awards!!, July 24, 2009