Since scoring the hit indie film Little Miss Sunshine in 2006, composer
Nick Urata -- known in indie music circles as singer and multi-instrumentalist of Gypsy-style alt-rockers
DeVotchKa -- has expanded his reach, crafting the sonic backdrop for features like Crazy, Stupid, Love. and I Love You Phillip Morris. In 2012,
Urata traveled back to the roots of his film composing career as directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris tapped him for their return to the silver screen, the fantasy-like rom-com Ruby Sparks. Following a novelist who overcomes writer's block after the title character emerges on the page and suddenly in life,
Urata echoes the film's sense of joy and wonder in a series of songs based around swelling, swirling strings, propulsive percussion, and enigmatic vocalizations ("Creation," "I Was Waiting for You"), expanding to baroque brass as the story unfolds ("Inseparable," "Ruby Was Just Ruby"). In addition to
Urata's compositions, Ruby Sparks [Music from the Motion Picture] collects throwback European pop songs (
Sylvie Vartan's "Quand Tu Es Là,"
Plastic Bertrand's "Ça Plane Pour Moi") and a pair of mischievous reggae tunes (
Derrick Harriott's "Psychedelic Train,"
the Lions' "Roll It Round") for added groovy fun. ~ Chrysta Cherrie