Yes, sometimes we’re cranky, snarky and cynical but we’re also big pushovers for gooey entertainment that hits the sweet spot just right, and from what we’ve seen of “The Muppets” so far in the multiple trailers, it is a film that is blending nostalgia, reverence for what makes those characters work and a rare, genuine sense of fun that we can’t wait to be a part of.
Even though the film doesn’t hit until Thanksgiving, Disney is getting the marketing campaign started very early, and in fact, a tribute CD of covers, “Muppets: The Green Album,” will be arriving in stores by the end of the summer and it boasts some… ‘interesting’ choices. Running twelve tracks strong, the first thing to note is that Jim James — originally hired to pen songs for the movie before “Flight of the Conchords” star Bret McKenzie got the gig — still gets one song in here, with his band My Morning Jacket delivering “Our World.” Weezer teams up with Paramore‘s Hayley Williams for a song we’re pretty sure we don’t want to hear. And perhaps even more damaging to the eardrums will be a pairing between Atreyu’s Brandon Saller and Good Charlotte’s Billy Martin. A band we didn’t know still existed, The Fray are here too along with “punk” band Alkaline Trio. And oh yeah, Amy Lee of Evanescene fame shows up to warble as well. A bit more up our alley, Norwegian songsmith Sondre Lerche contributes, as does whistler extraordinaire Andrew Bird who gets to sing “Bein’ Green.”
The disc will hit stores hella early on August 23rd, with the movie arriving three months later on November 23rd. Check out the full tracklisting below, in addition to two covers of “Bein’ Green” by Andrew Bird — both live — one in English and one in French — as well as a new batch of stills. [American Songwriter/You Ain’t No Picasso/Cinema Blend]
“Muppets: The Green Album” Soundtrack Tracklisting
1. OK Go: “Muppet Show Theme”
2. Weezer and Paramore’s Hayley Williams: “Rainbow Connection”
3. The Fray: “Mahna Mahna”
4. Alkaline Trio: “Moving Right Along”
5. My Morning Jacket: “Our World”
6. Amy Lee: “Halfway Down the Stairs”
7. Sondre Lerche: “Mr. Bassman”
8. The Airborne Toxic Event: “Wishing Song”
9. Atreyu’s Brandon Saller and Good Charlotte’s Billy Martin: “Night Life”
10. Andrew Bird: “Bein’ Green”
11. Matt Nathanson: “I Hope That Something Better Comes Along”
12. Rachael Yamagata: “I’m Going to Go Back There Someday”
