In the tradition of Simon & Garfunkel's The Graduate and Cat Stevens' music for Harold and Maude, Sondre Lerche's Dan in Real Life finds the Norwegian sensation lending his coy, almost precious, touch to this movie's soundtrack. Several tracks are plucked from Lerche's back catalogue, including "Modern Nature" (2002's Faces Down), the Elvis Costello-penned "Human Hands" (2006's Duper Sessions), and "Airport Taxi Reception" (2007's Phantom Punch). These and the seven instrumental cue tracks form the matrix surrounding the four originals, among them a smarmy, beautiful duet with Regina Spektor, whose dulcet voice plays ideal foil to Lerche's own. "I'll Be OK" mimics the aw-shucks charisma of every character lead actor Steve Carell plays, offering inspired proof of director Peter Hedges' wisdom in handing the project to Lerche. Elsewhere, a string-heavy cover of Pete Townshend's seminal "Let My Love Open the Door" provides a memorable highlight. Hedges postulates in the liner notes that perhaps the film was made "so more of the world can hear [Lerche's] music," and certainly, this album provides an enticing vehicle for newcomers to his wavering vibrato, saccharine falsetto, and all too genteel songwriting, though existing Lerche fans may lament the relative shortage of new material here. --Jason Kirk
