Review: "Linda Linda Linda" is a Japanese movie about an all-girls band. Thus, it's no big surprise that the soundtrack also plays an important role for the film. The four main performers, lead by Korean actress Bae Du-na, even formed a band with the name "Paranmaum" (Korean for "Blue Hearts"), which got their own music video in Japan, and which also gave some small live performances. So, what's all the fuss about? It's about the song of the group "The Blue Hearts", which has the title "Linda Linda". Concerning the music style it is best described as punk rock, however, it's more of a commercial kind of punk. Therefore the song easily becomes an ear worm in an instant. Of course, this is why the song is already the second track on the CD. Performed by film band centering around Bae Du-na, naturally. Still, it's a pity, that we don't get the original song at least as a bonus track on the CD.

The movie's title song is very energetic and encourages to sing along right away. The song has a great rhythm and just radiates joy of living. Bae Du-na may not be a born singer, but considering that she even does a better job than expected. If you know the film, you'll always feel that there is some kind of amateur style apparent, even though it's actually nowhere to be found when looking at it detached from the movie. "Boku no Migite" is of the same kind as "Linda Linda" and offers the same slow introduction with a sudden burst in pacing, featuring a great beat. It's joyful, yet dreamy and has everything you need in a song to want to hear it over and over again. The drums get into the music's center on several occasions, but maybe I just feel that way because drummer Maeda Aki made an especially good impression on me in the movie. As a matter of fact, the guitar and most of all the bass instrument also become the focus of the songs sometimes. The last track of the CD is also the finale one of Paranmaum, "Owaranai Uta". It may be the worst song of the three they played, but it still can arouse feelings of joy with its happy tunes.

Besides the punk rock tracks the CD also feautures some more or less typical standard score. "Opening Title" and "Taisetsu na Jikan" make use of the same warm motif, that inspires to dream the day away with its slightly monotonous rhythm. It's a very appealing main motif and can be found in some of the other tracks, too. "Taisetsu na Jikan" starts with the play of a piano and becomes constantly faster, until drums and melodic e-guitar sounds hit in. The main motif gets some nice supplements and alternations of what we've already heard in "Opening Title". These two tracks are easily the highlights of the more score-orientated side of the CD.
"Megumi to Kyoko to Nozomi" is a quiet piano piece, that is a little on the short side and merely seems to prepare the stage for "Yuugure no Kaerimichi". In this track the piano once again plays the main melody until soft e-guitar sounds accompany the steady rhythm, underlining the ambience character of the song even more. In general, it is save to say that the score tracks are an interesting mix of typical background score and soft-rock resp. Ambience music.

"April Mirage" is a fast-paced rock/popsong, that somehow couldn't hit the right notes for me, as the sometimes dissonant melody is everything but appealing. The same goes for "Sayonara-Nostalgia", which becomes even annoying with its repetitive guitar work as the song progresses. These are two tracks I always skip without getting a bad conscience over it.
The Acapella sung "The Water is Wide" somehow reminds us of those 60s protest songs with its grieving voice. The same singer also performs the piece "Fuuraibou". Accompanied by an acoustic guitar we get a blithesome song that is a bit more tranquil, and is carried by the high voice of the singer quite well. It may be a piece that is somewhat more melancholic than the rest of the soundtrack, yet I liked these two tracks.

At the end, this soundtrack is exactly what the film promises you to deliver. Sadly, the running time of merely 40 minutes is a bit short, especially when you keep in mind that there are two tracks that are very likeable to be skipped every time when listening to this soundtrack. Fortunately, the OST is available for a reasonable price. The different pieces convince with their dreamy and warm/cozy melodies, but the true highlights are of course the the fast-paced and cheerful songs of the all-girls band Paranmaum. If you aren't singing along to "Linda Linda" at the latest when listening to it for a third time, then music really isn't your cup of tea, no matter what kind. It's surely a recommendable soundtrack.