Various Artists
The Love Guru (Soundtrack)
Lakeshore Records 
If you’re like me, you’ve seen the trailer for the feature film, The Love Guru about 50 times and you still don’t know what the hell it’s about. Usually, the way to suss out the meaning of any movie is through it’s music, but oh lord, this is one soundtrack that I have to throw my hands up at. It’s not enough that the film’s star Mike Myers sings on six tracks, but when those tracks include covers of Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” and the Steve Miller Band classic “The Joker” (complete with Meyer’s doing his “Love Guru” accent) well, let’s just say the kitsch factor is overwhelming. Also thrown into the mess are Celine Dion’s cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “I Drove All Night” and the 1980’s Robbie Nevil tune “C’est La Vie” but at least they didn’t get personally mangled by Myers.
Nada Surf
Lucky
Barsuk
Nada Surf’s latest, Lucky, released in the U.S. this past February via the Barsuk label, presents a radio-friendly air of calm for all to hear. Within those lyrics lies as much realism as the upward gaze at the night’s sky that the cover of the album has. My personal favorite track is “Beautiful Beat,” a song that floats along, building its layers, before fading away. It puts me in such a good mood.
Though it was released last February in the U.S., I find this album matches the weather we’re now experiencing (the good summer days, I mean), such as the song “From Now On.” Lucky is such a cohesive album that it is over before you know it…just like the summer.
—Christine Thelen
