The Thousands

Like many-a-good indie flick these days, 500 Days of Summer is one of those films that is largely made by its music. The happiness, the heartbreak, the whimsical moments – all are defined and deepened and etched in our minds through the tunes that accompany them: a near-perfect selection of both indie favourites and rising talents, from generations past and today.

Needless to say, you don’t need to have seen the film to enjoy its music. Like any good mixtape, 500 Days is a perfectly choreographed collection, bouncing seamlessly from track to track, highs to lows, era to era. Regina Spektor slides into The Smiths and back again, alongside The Black Keys, Feist, The Temper Trap and more. Classic favourites from Hall & Oates and Simon & Garfunkul both make welcome appearances, and even Wolfmother’s offering- I’m a little red-faced to admit – is toe-tappingly good. The CD is rounded off by two covers, a folky-style take on The Pixies’ ‘Here Comes Your Man’, and the smooth sounds of She & Him mastering The Smiths with style.

While not groundbreaking by any means, 500 Days is a pleasant listen, and not a difficult one. Yes, one might accuse it of being a little too twee, a little too hip, a little too i-Pod-generation’s-latest-must-have – but hey, when the recipe’s this good, why not just enjoy it?