AMG Review of Fast Food Nation: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture

Margaret Reges
All Music Guide

A wry, Southwest-flavored soundtrack accompanies Richard Linklater's 2006 film about hamburgers and where they come from. The Friends of Dean Martinez scored the motion picture, and naturally enough they figure large on this disc. But while there's a good deal of atmospheric retro-lounge stuff here, there's also a good shake of Latin rap and a healthy dose of lo-fi to keep things from erring on the ambient side. Standout tracks include "Respira," a new song by Los Angeles-based La Sinfonia, and Spoon's sly "Was It You," gleaned from the group's 2005 release, Gimme Fiction. A previously unreleased Dr. Dog track appears here as well, the horn-heavy "Worst Trip," while the Capitol Years make an appearance with "Seven Songs," which originally appeared on 2006's Dance Away the Terror. A piece originally intended as accompaniment for Robert Weine's #The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari makes an appearance here as well; "A Place in the Sun," performed by the Friends of Dean Martinez, serves as a somber backdrop for the film's climax. As with most soundtracks, this release will appeal most to those who liked the film, but the fair smattering of indie tracks found here might tempt some audiophiles as well.