Where The Wild Things Are [OST] - Karen O And The Kids
Where The Wild Things Are [OST] Image
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Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 11 Ratings

  • Summary: The Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O and several of her musician friends compose the soundtrack to Spike Jonze's adaptation of the children's book, Where The Wild Things Are.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 16
  2. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. Sublime companion to kiddies’ book adaption from Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman.
  2. 80
    Not tunes for kids: simply some of Karen O's sweetest songs yet. [Nov 2009, p.100]
  3. If it is indubitably more soundtrack album than bigshot solo debut, this record certainly provides irrefutable, definitive, official proof of O’s talents as a songwriter in her own right.
  4. Where The Wild Things Are has much to offer fans of wide-eyed, unpretentious indie-pop, but I can’t help but wish that sentiment could be applied to the soundtrack as a whole.

See all 16 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. jf
    10
    This is a flawless soundtrack, and a damn near flawless standalone record. Everything works. And I wish Karen would do a solo project of just acoustic instruments, mostly just guitar or piano. She has such a lovely voice that is so much more emotional in some of these songs than most of her YYYs songs. The showstopping numbers are the least children album-y, "Worried Shoes" and "Hideaway." The former is a cover of a Daniel Johnston song, but Karen does such a tender, beautiful rendition of it that it definitely becomes the best song here. Runner up is the other ballad, "Hideaway," which is actually quite sad lyrically ("My baby is gone..."), but is incredibly beautiful. She has done these crazy antics her whole career, calming down every now and then ("Maps," "Dudley," and "Little Shadow", so about once each record). But this is unprecedented beauty from Karen. The more upbeat less personal songs work great too ("Capsize," "Rumpus," "Animal," and the keening amazing single "All is Love.") The opening and closing "Igloo" and "Sailing Home" (respectively) have the same theme, set to different music, both with her sounding gentle and finally, undeniably inviting. I love this record, and it accompanies the film very well. Collapse
  2. DarnellS
    9
    I don't know what IT is but this puts me THERE, which is a small miracle these days.