Various Artists - Basquiat: Original Soundtrack - Music From The Miramax Film

Few film soundtracks capture the essence or personality of their subject matter as beautifully as the collection of songs culled from Basquiat. Jean Michel Basquiat's charisma was based in the many facets of his character and his art, and there's a song here for a good portion of his ever-changing moods. "Public Image," by PiL is a cynical sneer matching Basquiat's own disillusionment over his fame. The inclusion of the undulating rap/funk masterpiece "White Lines" by Grandmaster Flash, plays almost like a cautionary tale, while the hopelessness of Joy Division's "These Days" seems like a theme for the bleak emotional state the painter sometimes experienced. There are, of course, songs that reflect the period of Basquiat's rise from the '70s until his untimely death in the '80s. --Steve Gdula Amazon.com

the truth in moods

Jean Michel needed different moods for his different emotions. If you love music with a varied genre and emotional thrills get this CD. The CD tells the story of Jean and tells periods and insecurities that he had with himself. September 19, 2008

Stand out soundtrack. Stellar.

This is one of the most significant soundtracks of my life, and along with the soundtrack from Dead Man Walking introduced me to many artists that I have come to admire and follow.
There are many highlights here, particularly Van Morrison and John Cale's covers of (Leonard Cohen's) Hallelujah and (Bob Dylan's) It's All Over Now, Baby Blue, respectively. The hip-hop classic White Lines, evoking the burgeoning medium and the cocaine high 80's in which Basquiat takes place, PJ Harvey's somber Is That All There Is? and the great Tom Waits' Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets To The Wind In Copenhagen) retain their music powers whether scored under the film or alone, no matter the repetition.
If you are unfamiliar with the musicians mentioned or featured here, this soundtrack is a MUST, successfully presenting the early 80's era, the New Wave, post punk, post funk New York City/America of Ronald Reagan/Keith Haring/The Last Days of Warhol.
Poetic and potent.
October 5, 2007

Loved the film, had to have the soundtrack.

This is a very eclectic collection of songs from the film.
If you like Andy Warhol's time and aquaintances and artists, then this is the film and CD for you. January 12, 2007

Missing a few essential pieces of the puzzle

A good rock soundtrack that could be better with a few missing pieces restored. Whatever kept the songs off this album originally, an expanded reissue would have to include the credits-opening "Fairytale of New York." The song sets the tone for the rest of the movie, and it's really missing here. Kirsty MacColl's duet featuring Shane MacGowan is available on an import best-of album called "Galore," for those who want to track it down. I don't think anyone expects the Stones to give away "Waiting on a Friend" to a soundtrack (that would have been a nice gesture) but Keith Richards's bootleg version of "Nearness of You" should now be included, as he's doing the song with the Stones these days putting it into the "official release" category. Finally, "Red House" by Tom Waits needs to be here as well, to bookend "Tom Traubert's Blues." Island Records should think about remastering this compilation and give fans of the movie a complete, essential soundtrack. On the plus side, it's worth every cent to have John Cale's version of "Hallelujah" here, and another reviewer noted Bowie's remarkable remake of "Small Plot of Land." Almost worth a five star rating, but just not quite. Yet. May 20, 2006

I heard there was a secret chord

This is an extraordinary soundtrack for an extraordinary movie. Quite a diverse selection of music - the soulful entrees by Van Morrison, PJ Harvey, Tom Waits and the Pogues really evoke the doomed and melancholy air of the movie and of Basquiat's life. As an album it doesn't really hand together, yet all the individual songs are quite arresting and memorable. February 25, 2006

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