Intellimusica

Exit Music (For A Film) Exit Music (For A Film) is a somber track by the English rock band, Radiohead. Released on their landmark 1997 album, OK Computer — “Exit Music” has become a testament to the band’s ability to create brooding, cinematic music. The […]

[no spoilers] Weapons I wouldn’t have seen Zach Cregger’s Barbarian had it not been for the recommendation of a few friends. Upon first glance, the film seemed to be about a woman’s chance encounter with a psychopath. I felt like I had “the gist” and […]

Lima Lima is one of my favorite tracks from Gustavo Santaolalla’s The Motorcycle Diaries soundtrack. Rather than his usual minimalist approach, Lima really displays Santaolalla’s guitar prowess. I had an opportunity to see Gustavo Santaolalla play live in Pittsburgh (in 2013) with his band Bajofondo. Rather […]

Zephyr I initially set out to re-record Gustavo Santaolalla’s ‘Rein’ from the soundtrack of Biutiful (2009). I had shared it on my blog over a decade ago, and with much-improved sound quality, I was eager for a fresh take. But as often happens, my ear […]

F1: The Movie, immerses viewers in the high-stakes world of Formula One racing. The film stars Brad Pitt and is directed by Joseph Kosinski. If you mashed up the films — Top Gun: Maverick, and Days of Thunder (with Pitt’s own Tarantino character) Cliff Booth […]

Mathilde I wrote this piece well over a decade ago. I had already been a guitar player (and teacher) since my early teenage years — but only began experimenting with fingerstyle composition in my mid-30’s. It’s is actually the first “fingerstyle song” I ever wrote. […]

Parting Ways Gustavo Santaolalla’s iconic guitar motifs, which are essential to the The Last of Us games, form the backbone of the HBO series’ score. While many of the original tracks have been adapted—often revised, shortened, and retitled—Santaolalla has also woven in brand new compositions. […]

All Things New At some point in your life — you’re going to need help from a higher power. You’ll know when the time comes, because you will have completely run out of earthly solutions. I’ll preface this by mentioning I’m not a goodie two-shoes […]

The Path (A New Beginning) Within the critically acclaimed video game and HBO series The Last of Us, Gustavo Santaolalla’s “The Path (A New Beginning)” symbolizes hope, amidst a brutal world. Whether the song accompanies a hopeful glance across a ravaged landscape, or a moment […]

Smokestack Twins Directed by Ryan Coogler, the horror film Sinners unfolds in the Jim Crow-era Mississippi Delta in 1932. The film stars Michael B. Jordan in dual roles (as twin brothers) who return to their hometown to start again, only to be confronted by a […]

Sweater Weather My wife and I were in fertility treatments in late 2013 and most of 2014. There was a point (in the treatment) where we were driving out the facility every other day. At that time, Sweater Weather was the number one song on […]

Life on Mars? “Life on Mars?” is a highly acclaimed song by the iconic David Bowie. It was originally released on his 1971 album Hunky Dory and later as a single in 1973. The lyrics are surreal and cinematic, depicting a young girl’s escapist disillusionment […]