The magical triad behind Rushmore's spunky, starry-eyed soundtrack--music supervisor Randall Poster, composer Mark Mothersbaugh, and director Wes Anderson--leaps forward a decade from that beloved soundtrack's '60s gems, in the process adopting a more pensive feel for The Royal Tenenbaums' musical backdrop. It may lack the euphoric sing-along feel of, say, Creation's "Makin' Time," but the rock and folk tracks here perfectly match the film's crumbling characters and their dilapidated relationships. The Ramones' "Judy Is a Punk" is a burst of nostalgic rebellion but surely causes a sad twinge in light of Joey Ramone's untimely death in 2001; gloom-folker Nick Drake's "Fly" and Elliott Smith's excellently depressing "Needle in the Hay"--which is used to chilling effect during a wrist-slashing scene--further deepen the dark thread running through Tenenbaums. But those who prefer the sunny disposition of Rushmore will be thrilled by the calming concoctions of Mothersbaugh, who heralds the coming of a new scene with graceful woodwind/string parts ("Scrapping and Yelling") and playful sitar pieces ("Pagoda's Theme"). Throw in the Clash's squalling "Police & Thieves" and the Velvet Underground's petal-soft "Stephanie Says" and you've got another winning soundtrack from the film biz's most in-tune music lovers. Tenenbaum or not, you can go home again. --Kristy Martin
