Artist	Song
the xx	intro
from xx (2009) intended for the moment when christopher leaves nicole's apartment/half-house in waltham after a very violent breakup
spiritualized	ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space
from ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space (1997) christopher hears this song as he gets through the night. (yes this uses the released version and not the original mix that will be reissued in 2009)
slowdive	crazy for you
from pygmalion (1995) the next three songs reflects what christopher is pondering for the rest of the weekend in regards to nicole.
gravenhurst	nicole
from fires in distant buildings (2005)
jeff buckley	mojo pin
from grace (1994)
the appleseed cast	signal
from low level owl, vol. 1 (2001) part of an earlier memory with nicole when they meet at a venue somewhere in cambridge
arovane	r/elet
from atol scrap (1999) part of an earlier memory with nicole when they made love
tearwave	comfort in angel's wings
from different shades of beauty (2008) christopher has lunch with long-time friend sarah. during the conversation, they recount the night of the prom when they mutually lost their virginity to each other. [my favorite mix of this is from the projekt 2000 compilation released in 2007, different from the album referenced here]
st. vincent	just the same but brand new
from actor (2009) after lunch, christopher goes to a record shop [perhaps newbury comics in boston] and first meets elena, who bears some physical resemblance to nicole.
the big pink	frisk
from a brief history of love (2009) when christopher and jack [work colleague, very much the opposite of him in lots of ways] enter to the nightclub
manic street preachers	journal for plague lovers (optimo (espacio))
from journal for plague lovers [remixes] (2009) part of the nightclub scene
jamie lidell	daddy's car
from muddlin' gear (2000) also part of the nightclub scene and probably the last song he hears after being asked to leave (caused a scene by throwing up)/leaves out of embarrassment.
plaid	scoobs in colombia
from trainer (2000) second date with elena: restaurant with a dancefloor; after conversing, they dance together and have a great time. [this was what i originally had in mind for the second date until i had the idea of having it in a karaoke bar]
battles	atlas
from mirrored (2007) second date with elena: karaoke bar; after conversing, christopher gives his rendition of this song that not only hits the marks but also adds to it through his own performance. in other words, he performs it as if he were on stage and not just imitating being on stage.
roxy music	more than this
from avalon (1982) the moment when christopher is inspired by elena to pursue an intended script. [the idea for this song came from personal experience when i wrote an earlier version of the script while listening to this album]
gary numan	films
from the pleasure principle (1979) third date with elena: advance screening for a film neither really care about seeing. they heckle and cause a scene and part of it includes christopher standing up and singing the first verse of this song ... he finishes it before he exits.
dj shadow	blood on the motorway
from the private press (2002) underscores [starting from 3:31 onwards] the "first heartbreak" where christopher tells elena his first crush ending badly and how the social humiliation prompts him to attempt suicide.
vangelis	first approach
from direct (1988) his "ideal slow dance" he always wanted to dance to when he was twelve. the two of them dance to it and they eventually make love for the first time
harold budd/brian eno	first light
from ambient 2/the plateaux of mirror (1980) a montage plays showing the flowering of their relationship ... ends with them driving out into the country to catch a vista view
pan sonic	kSytSvS / corridor
from kesto (234:48.4) (2004) christopher has a horrible dream that involves nicole
harold budd/brian eno	failing light
from ambient 2/the plateaux of mirror (1980) christopher and elena drive home
windy & carl	christmas song
from introspection (2002) christopher and elena are at a furniture store and the responses between them are colder and harsher. [album reference is the compilation you can obtain it]
benoet pioulard	together & down
from prTcis (2006) a scene where christopher and elena are at a friend's house for a party. in contrast to an earlier moment, christopher is sulking and by myself and elena tries to get him out of it
joy division	love will tear us apart
from love will tear us apart (1980) christopher sings this to himself while contemplating his behaviour toward elena over the past couple of months or so. [the idea for this cue came when i pictured, off and on, sam riley playing christopher. he played ian curtis in the 2007 film, control. and yes i picture alexandra maria lara playing elena/nicole]
radiohead	last flowers
from in rainbows disk 2 (2007) christopher leaves and will appear at elena's apartment ... what will end up being for the last time.
film school	like you know
from film school (2006) the instrumental intro will play at the end of the breakup scene between christopher and elena. as it continues, christopher decides to walk from cambridge to brookline but veering up toward boston. while he's there, he notices a third woman, who looks like nicole and elena, and sees her. he is unsure what to do next. cuts to black and to credits when the vocals enter.
orchestral manoeuvres in the dark	of all the things we've made
from dazzle ships (1983) the end credits continue to roll

Comment:

this is the playlist i listened (obsessively) whilst writing the first spec script draft of *on nights like this*, a contemporary romantic tragedy. some of these i intended to use as cues for the film itself but others are more to help establish moods for a scene and to provide narrative flow.

Feedback: