Shudder to Think: High Art and First Love, Last Rites soundtracks

By Dan Silk

Originally an oddity on the mid-'80s DC hardcore scene, Shudder to Think put out several records on Ian MacKaye's not-so-quietly indie Dischord label. And aside from singer Craig Wedren's wicked, high-pitched androgyny, little about them stood out as unique. Shudder's first two records for Sony, Pony Express Record and 50,000 B.C., were so hopelessly unmarketable that not even a buzz-clip could power them out of cut-out bins.

After the vulgar commercialism of 50,000 repulsed longtime listeners and failed to broaden their appeal, many figured the band would be dropped. But here they are in '98, with two soundtrack albums of original material. The soundtrack to High Art echoes the film's story of experimentation, sexual and narcotic, with experimentation in beat-oriented mood music. Performed by a band whose major-label debut was the guitar-rock equivalent, in guitarist Nathan Larson's words, "of Middle English," the score should rightfully provide accompaniment to filthy acts of lust and drug abuse in your very own common room. On the Eno-esque "Cocoa Butter," the band shows their "classic" electronic influences. But the nicest surprise on High Art is Larson's cutting, bluesy "She Might Be Waking Up," which closes the film.

For the soundtrack to First Love, Last Rites, a teen-romance film set in the Bayou, Wedren set out to write timeless songs that stir memories of adolescence. In the movie, the songs appear as a collection of 45s belonging to one of the teens, though most feature not Wedren on vocals, but special guests ranging from Billy Corgan (a long-time Shudder fan) to the late Jeff Buckley.

Most likely, both the film and the soundtrack will bomb, but many of the songs on the album deserve a better fate. "Appalachian Lullaby" is a breezy acoustic tune that could clear anyone's head, and "Automatic Soup" is a lost Big D 103 hit. But First Love's unpredictability is its greatest triumph; it may be an album which not even the shrewdest A&R man could hope to market. With these soundtracks to High Art and First Love, Shudder to Think have officially set out to transcend the genre-rock tag that once seemed a permanent fixture. (High Art: Velvel Records; First Love: Epic Records)

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