Soundcheck

Does Juno Deserve a Better Soundtrack?

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

The soundtrack to the film "Juno" is a smash hit. But while fans find it cute and charming, some critics believe it's amateur and cloying. Today, two music critics debate whether "Juno" deserves a better soundtrack. Also: music from Punch Brothers, a quintet formed by Chris Thile, the bluegrass mandolin player from Nickel Creek.

Listen to the whole show

This Year's Indie Film Soundtrack - Hot or Hated?

The soundtrack to the Oscar-nominated film "Juno" has soared to the top of the Billboard album chart since its release a month ago. Depending on your perspective, the quirky, indie-rock-focused soundtrack is either endlessly charming and clever or "annoying" and "beyond-amateurish." Today: a critical debate on the soundtrack's merits with Chicago Tribune critic Greg Kot and Josh Jackson, editor-in-chief of Paste magazine

More about the Juno Soundtrack
Greg Kot on the Juno soundtrack
Paste magazine's web site

Punch Brothers

Punch Brothers is an ensemble led by mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile of the progressive bluegrass trio Nickel Creek. The quintet’s debut is "Punch," a semi-instrumental album that combines bluegrass with modern classical and jazz. Its centerpiece is "The Blind Leaving the Blind," a suite in four movements that sketches out the breakup of a marriage.

Punch Brothers Web site

Saving The Carpenters' "Graceland"

Fans of the Seventies pop duo The Carpenters have embarked on a campaign to prevent their former Los Angeles home from demolition. This is the same home featured on the cover of the group"s 1973 album "Now & Then." Its current owners decided to have it demolished after being pestered by fans flocking the building to pay homage to the group. Carpenters fan Jon Konjoyan, who is leading the campaign to save the home, joins us.