What's on the 'Where the Wild Things Are' Soundtrack?

For last several weeks, the 'Where the Wild Things Are' trailer has been on fire -- literally, with its evocative use of the song 'Wake Up' from Canadian ensemble-rock act Arcade Fire. But don't expect to find it on the soundtrack. Instead, filmmaker Spike Jonze enlisted the talents of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O to compose and perform original songs for the film.

For the unfamiliar, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are a high energy art-rock trio that have amassed quite a following over the years; on stage, O is charming and charismatic, and at the same time a hyper mess of brashness. O and Jonze dated several years back, but that's probably not why she landed this gig. She has a carefree, childlike quality about her and loves to play dress-up. Her costumes alone scream "wild."

The 'Where the Wild Things' soundtrack itself echoes these sentiments, too. Like Kimya Dawson's music for 'Juno,' O's compositions are sparse at times, as on 'Capsize' and 'Rumpus Reprise.' But there's more of a variety here than just some stripped-down ditties. The song 'Animal' seems like a straightforward instrumental, but morphs into a dark chaos, with dialogue samples interspersed. Pop ballads such as 'Heads Up' and 'All Is Love' sound like a choir of kids are singing along -- and to a degree, they are.

The band on the album is billed as Karen O and the Kids, with the kids being a collection of musicians from indie acts such as the Raconteurs, Liars, Deerhunter, and the Dead Weather. O also slips in 'Worried Shoes,' a cover of the song by enigmatic songwriter Daniel Johnston, and steps aside for one song, 'Lost Fur,' where Carter Burwell -- who provided the score for Jonze's 'Being John Malkovich' and 'Adaptation' -- takes over.

Essentially, this is kids' music disguised as music for grown-ups, and works on both levels. The hooks are simple, yet catchy, but the sequencing follows the storyline. O and her kids have constructed a rudimentary, musical version of the narrative that will serve well as you replay the movie's scenes over in your head.

'Where the Wild Things Are' Track List:

'Igloo' - Karen O and the Kids
'All Is Love' - Karen O and the Kids
'Capsize' - Karen O and the Kids
'Worried Shoes' - Karen O and the Kids
'Rumpus' - Karen O and the Kids
'Rumpus Reprise' - Karen O and the Kids
'Hideaway' - Karen O and the Kids
'Cliffs' - Karen O and the Kids
'Animal' - Karen O and the Kids
'Lost Fur' - Carter Burwell
'Heads Up' - Karen O and the Kids
'Building All Is Love' - Karen O and the Kids
'Food Is Still Hot' - Karen O and the Kids
'Sailing Home' - Karen O and the Kids


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