Keyboardist John Medeski shared details on the upcoming soundtrack for Showtime Original The Curse, set for release this Friday, November 17 via Milan Records (pre-order), and previewed by lead single “Fake Tears.” Produced by Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie, The Curse premiered last night on Showtime starring Fielder and Emma Stone.
Frequent Safdie collaborator Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never) executive produced the The Curse (Music From the Showtime Original Series). John Medeski was recruited for the project when Safdie asked Lopatin who would be a good fit to score the series. Medeski was recommended as someone who could channel Alice Coltrane’s Turiya Sings as the work was an inspiration for the score.
Lopatin spoke about bringing the Medeski, Martin & Wood keyboardist on the project:
“There was a very short list of composers I felt were akin, or could carry on some level, Alice’s skill and soulfulness with them into their own score. John was one of them. John breathes presence into music. His ability to improvise and speak through his instrument, and specifically the organ—is part of his greatness. His transcendent understanding of spacious, open music, combined with a virtuosic attack of the keyboard in the fields of jazz and blues, not to mention his twisted sense of humor, felt exactly right for the series.”
Earlier this year, Medeski, Fielder and Lopatin were photographed together working on the project, which John detailed as well:
There was this idea that the music of Alice’s—this spiritual music—has a quality that’s neither happy nor sad. It’s both. It’s deep, contemplative music. Instead of the music defining what’s happening, it’s opening up possibilities. I love that because that’s what music is for me. It’s a language that expresses something between idea and emotion that only music can express. The music is almost like another dimension or another perspective. A lot of films are designed to make you feel something about what’s going on in the scene, to represent the scene, to create the emotional impact of the scene. And Nathan and Benny wanted the series to be very dialogue driven and story driven, and to have the music actually be like another observer providing a perspective. They didn’t want any music to be too obvious. Sometimes the music is misleading to what’s going on in the scene even, and I loved that. The music has this other dimension that provides atmosphere. It isn’t just programmatic, it’s another character.
Preview the 52-song The Curse (Music From the Showtime Original Series) soundtrack with “Fake Tears” below:
[Hat Tip – Pitchfork]
The Curse (Music From the Showtime Original Series) Tracklist:
- Fake Tears (From “The Curse” Soundtrack)
- Bad Interview
- Asher Approaches
- Tiny
- Tomato Pee Pee
- Shelter
- Lies
- Pregnant
- Parking Lot
- Casino
- Nefarious Light
- The Curse
- Happy News
- Dougie Walks
- Subterfuge
- Stealing Files
- Smoke House
- Performance Art
- Art Talk
- Ultrasound
- Classroom
- Back Door
- About a House
- Dougie Digs
- Whitney Walks
- Scorpion
- Steal the Stove
- Ashram
- She’s a Lot
- Pretend Buyers
- Utopian World
- Green Queen
- Security Footage
- Delivery
- Neck Crack
- Bone Dread
- Nala Struggles
- Whitney’s Statue
- Asher Makeup
- Whitney and Cara
- Fernando
- On Camera
- Talking Shit
- Whitney Cries
- Asher Jeans
- Apartment Complex
- Whitney Cries Again
- House Reveal
- Asher’s Dilemma
- Floating Hands
- We Do This All the Time
- The End
