Various

With the movie set in Paris in 1969, it seems like a good choice to enlist the Parisian band Mellow to sculpt a groovy score. Roman Coppola's CQ is about life on the set of a sci-fi movie, and the mix of Mellow's modern '60s pop contributions combined with a few scattered French classic pop hits make this a fine album that can stand alone, regardless of its ties with the film. The majority of the 25 tracks are composed by Mellow, with an assortment of guest vocalists and additional instruments, including a full orchestral arrangement by Roger Neill. Their style fits into the movie's theme perfectly, and on tracks like "Dragonfly Car Chase," it is hard to tell if this is indeed a Mellow contribution or a vintage tune dug up from the vaults. The four vintage tracks included are top notch, including Jacques Dutronc's "Le Responsible," a guaranteed leg shaker. As with most movie scores, most of the tracks are short sound bytes, but the way they are organised on this release shows that some thought has been put into it, and listening to the album end to end isn't as disjointed as it could easily have been. The combination of the sting arrangements and Mellow's '60s pop style is ideal, and no matter what you think of the film, this is an enjoyable album.