2 Hearts and Chemicals - True Soul

By: Del LeFevre

While watching Boogie Nights recently a friend I were discussing the merits of the film's score. It has so many perfect song moments that fit all of the scenes so well. For me Dirk's zone out during the botched drug deal scene always stuck with me long after a viewing. As he stares deep, so lost in the song and his thoughts, are we to assume he sees himself as the song's protagonist, Jessie is his former porno star self, and Jessie's girl is the glitz, glamour, and warmth that all came from being under the Jack Horner umbrella? That was always my pea brained take away at least. After the deal goes south he heads back "home", a porno prodigal son , into the open arms of Burt Remolds' god of San Fernando smut peddlin' embrace. We are then treated to a winning montage of the lion's share of main players' dreams of better lives coming to fruition all under Horner's omnipresent eye set to the Beach Boys' seminal "God Only Knows". God only knows where all of these characters would be without him.

Job well done, PT. fucking perfect music selections.

I mention all of this because the conversation then moved to the idea of trying to re-score classic movies like Boogie Nights, Dazed and Confused, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. How cool of a project would that be? Personally if I were re-scoring any movie in my DVD collection I would grab my phone and make a call to 2 Hearts and Chemicals. 2H&C is the moniker of LA's Eli Lhymn ( plus " all kinds of special guests") and he just released his debut LP "True Soul"....and it is so fucking ready for the big screen. The album has all the needed ingredients of a perfect score: some perfect electronic pop, some big bombastic action, and some subdued character piece moments. Could "Straight Into the Night" be a used for a re-release of "Drive" ("now with more head stomping. In 3d!") or perhaps we could dig deeper and match it to "True Romance" as an ode to the dearly departed Tony Scott. Tony's film deserved better than the blatant note for note rip off of the Badlands score. Why not honor Sir Tony Scott (yep. I knighted him) by giving him some music of true substance.

True Heart has that shit in spades.

Fuck it. Can we just all close our eyes while this album plays out from beginning to end and come up with our own new narrative? That's the inner beauty of what 2 Hearts and Chemicals are all about. The music is rich with tone and feel...but never forces a narrative on you. Anyone and everyone can relate to the soundscapes in these songs. True Heart is a god damn choose your own adventure album. You will never tire of it because it takes you to different places each and every listen. This morning as I drove the commute to another soul crushing day of TPS reports I popped it on and found myself with the urge to drive off the road and float into the sun soaked sky. Roads? Where 2 Hearts and Chemicals are going they don't need roads. Tonight as I listen to the album again I'm getting the urge to bike through the dank dark streets of Venice, hands off the handlebars with my eyes trained on the celestial sky...right before i get crushed by oncoming traffic. I knew that angel was making a mistake when it gave up its wings for me! What the hell. I just threw out a Nic Cage/Meg Ryan scenario for fuck's sake. City of Angels references be damned this fucking album makes you go places you didn't know possible because with it in your ears there are endless possibilities. (I refuse to force a "Limitless" reference here regardless of how hard I am trying to sell the movie angle. I won't do it!)

As i stated earlier play this album from start to end as it was intended to be heard and let the 2 Hearts and Chemicals dreamgaze spirit you away to a whole new world. (and no that is not code for you to use it as a new score to mother fucking Aladdin)