Lakeshore Records release the various artists soundtrack to William H. Macy’s moving directorial debut Rudderless. Billy Crudup plays Sam, a former high-profile advertising executive whose life is torn apart by the sudden death of his son. Living off the grid on a docked sailboat, he wastes away his days while drowning his pain in alcohol. When Sam discovers a box filled with his son's demo tapes and lyrics, his own child’s musical talent is a revelation for him, a grieving father yearning to reconnect with his son. He begins to explore his son’s unknown talent, obsessively learning his songs, until one day he decides to play one of them at a local bar. The song captivates Quentin, a young musician in the audience, and the two unlikely friends decide to form a rock 'n' roll band called Rudderless that becomes surprisingly popular and revitalizes both of their lives...

Taken on its own merits, with no knowledge of the film's subject matter, this soundtrack seems a little odd. There's an eclectic range of musical styles on offer here. However, for those that have seen the movie, this album's 14 tracks (37 min 18 sec) wonderfully capture the spirit of the film.

Billy Crudup opens and closes this album, with two great tracks. If you're looking for a musical souvenir of the movie this album is well worth picking up.

Track listing:

01 - 'Home' - Billy Crudup
02 - 'Over Your Shoulder' - Rudderless
03 - 'Hold On' - Ben Kweller and Selena Gomez
04 - 'Sam Spirals' - Eef Barzelay
05 - 'Beautiful Mess' - Rudderless
06 - 'Stay With You' - Rudderless
07 - 'The Two-Year Hangover' - Eef Barzelay
08 - 'Real Friends' - Rudderless
09 - 'Asshole' - Ben Limpic
10 - 'Some Things Can't Be Thrown Away' - Eef Barzelay
11 - 'Wheels On The Bus' - Rudderless
12 - 'A Day On The Water' - Eef Barzelay
13 - 'The Gig Is Off' - Eef Barzelay
14 - 'Sing Along' - Billy Crudup

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Darren Rea