Lady Bird

The Lady Bird soundtrack comes from multi-instrumentalist Jon Brion, whose niche lies in crafting “unsentimental” scores that fit indie dramedies like a glove. His music tends to bounce along—think of a Beatles track stripped of its vocals—moving in rhythm with the film without ever crowding the scene.

For context, contrast this with Gustavo Santaolalla, a master of poignant, heavy-hitting drama. If Brokeback Mountain represents the peak of cinematic sentimentality, Brion usually operates on the cooler end of the spectrum. That’s why the twin themes, “Consolation” and “Reconcile,” resonated with me so deeply; they actually edge toward a rare…