So this week’s Disco, Blisters & A Comedown, is brought to you from a really obscure, niche corner of musical delights; Brooding Indie Rock Singles By Film And Television Actresses.
Yes! It seems that certain actresses reach a stage, perhaps with a silver fork halfway to their mouths on a vine-strewn Elven film set, where they think “fuck this, I’m releasing an indie/rock single”. Or maybe they’re just sick of snogging Gerard Butler. Stressed romcom directors are probably threatened with it all the time. “If I have to snog Gerard Butler one more sodding time, I’m releasing an indie/rock single!”
Anyway a surprising amount of them have done, but there are only so many hours in the day aren’t there, so for now, here’s three.
Scarlett Johansson – Falling Down
Now we all know Scarlett Johansson loves stumbling around Asian cities at 2am being introspective and getting appealingly entranced by neon signs and things ;Lost In Translation, Lucy, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Under The Skin, we could go on. She’d maybe finish the night by suggestively knocking back a martini in an ambient cocktail bar, then having a fag on the rooftop of a five star hotel as the sun rises. This song, and her subsequent album, would perfectly compliment these sorts of nefariously pretentious activities. Shoegazy, trippy pop with slurry, barely decipherable lyrics. But you know what. Scarlett is hot enough get away with it. Good for you Scarlett. You do you.
Taylor Momsen – The Pretty Reckless
Now, strictly speaking, Taylor Momsen isn’t exactly a film actress. Well, she’s BEEN in films, but she’s not a bigshot Hollywood film actress like Liv and Scarlett. She’s possibly best known for her portrayal of Jenny Humphrey in glossy, teens and tiaras drama, Gossip Girl. One of those weird things happened to her that sometimes happens to impressionable young actors; she started mirroring her character in real life. As her character on the show became a skinny, eyeliner-wearing manipulative bitch, so did she. If you think about the actual reality of that, it’s quite harrowing, but let’s be honest, the first thing we all thought was…how fabulous! It culminated in her dropping out of the show and starting her own punk band The Pretty Reckless, which went on to gain critical and commercial success. Their best singles are “Fucked Up World”, “You Make Me Wanna Die” and “Light Me Up”. All very angsty.
Liv Tyler – Need You Tonight
Good old Liv decided to follow in her rockstar father’s footsteps with a sultry cover of INXS’ iconic eighties hit. It’s very good too! Sexily scratchy vocals and a guitar-smashing, high octone variation on the originally quite ponderous tune. We like to imagine her as Arwen storming around the Elven kingdo, singing it to a baying crowd of pilled-up elves. “ARE YOU READY RIVENDELL? TIME TO LOSE. YOUR. FUCKING. MIINNNNDS!” But that wasn’t why she covered it. Disappointingly, it was all a bit publicity stunt by Givenchy, to promote their new fragrance “Very Irresistible Givenchy Electric Rose”. Wordy. Galadriel’s probably got a bottle of it on her bedside table. It probably wasn’t even the Light of Earendil she gave to Frodo. It was probably Very Irresistible Givenchy Electric Rose. To light the darkest places, when all other lights go out.
