Scrubs and Me.

I'm not really sure how I got into the music business or furthermore, how I ended up starting a music supervision (soundtracks) company. It could've been the countless times my mom played Paul Simon and Manfred Mann while doing yardwork. It could've been that I had nothing better to do. It may have been the high school spanish films we made for classes and how excited I got when I edited in my favorite songs to back-up any dialog and action. Or...maybe even Dawson's Creek, Scrubs, Top Gun and various other movies that so perfectly enhanced their theatrics with the perfect soundtrack.

I've been on a Scrubs kick lately, as I usually am during such times - re-watching the best they offered during Seasons 1-3, which also happens to be a great example of tv using songs to further their impact.

Did it start with 90210 or did Juno and Grey's Anatomy make you think about music with film? Most my age probably relate to how amazing the Garden State soundtrack turned out because it ditched norms of using headlining acts like Shawn Colvin or U2 and focused on the indie/emerging scene. No offense to the soundtrack, but making that mix is SIMPLE. Saying that, I do applaud Braff for using his role/power in the industry to share his love of emerging and blanketed artists like Imogen Heap, Alexi Murdoch, Schuyler Fisk, Iron & Wine and even re-introducing deep Simon and Garfunkel gems to my generation. let's be honest, Braff knows his shit (music) and moreso, how to use it (music, of course) effectively.

But to me, Scrubs was where it was at. It surpassed Dawson's Creek and 90210 in the depth at how it used music. It was the prequel to what Grey's Anatomy, The OC, Chuck, and maybe what The Hills are emerging into. Sure it's a comedy, but you'd be surprised at the transition into the serious roles it develops into and how the music expedites this. The depth of artists and frequency of incorporating them into the theme was not seen, in my opinion, until Braff and Co. at Scrubs took the plunge. Who is responsible for the music at Scrubs? I know Braff did help quite a bit in convincing the director and music supervisor on the use of certain songs. Braff himself also ended up directing numerous episodes through the seasons. And...Braff specifically helped launch the career of his college friend, Joshua Radin, and re-launch the career of ex-Men At Work singer, Colin Hay. Through Scrubs, Braff either continually exposed or introduced me to some of my now-favorite artists/songs and moments in television. He even included several artists performing their songs on camera, such as Colin Hay and The Polyphonic Spree. Here's a slight recap of moments and some songs that have been doing their number on me lately:

Nil Lara - Fighting For My Love


Erasure - A Little Respect


Finger Eleven - One Thing


Joshua Radin - Closer
(2:15 in)


Eels - Fresh Feeling


Appreaing: Polyphonic Spree - Light and Day/Reach For the Sun


Colin Hay - Waiting For My Real Life To Begin
Appearing: Colin Hay - Overkill

New Joshua Radin

You've heard his voice on Scrubs, Grey's, Catch And Release, Brothers and Sisters, Idol and The Last Kiss. He's woo'd crowds on the late show rounds, headlined The Hotel Cafe Tour, supported KT Tunstall and Ingrid Michaelson on tour, and even ended up dating a co-Hotel Cafe Tour member/singer-songwriter Schuyler Fisk (pron. "Skyler"). Who's that? It took my friend Whitney all but .36 of a second to screech "Oh-my-God, that girl starred in The Baby-Sitters Club!" when a then-anonymous girl with a vibrant smile and burnt red hair passed us in the Fox Theater. Whitney was correct. Schuyler not only was Kristen in the BSC, but is also an avid performer, singer, actress and daughter of Sissy Spacek. Ellen DeGeneres considers Radin one of her favorites...so much that she brought him on her show and had him perform at her wedding to Portia de Rossi.

Radin on Ellen


But, this is about L.A.-based (Ohio-born) singer-songwriter Joshua Radin and his new album. Joshua Radin attended Northwestern University with his good buddy, Zachary Israel Braff (Scrubs, Garden State), who ended up using a few of Radin's songs in his television shows and eventually, a few of his movie soundtracks. During the filming of Braff's re-make of The Last Kiss, Radin and Fisk penned "Paperweight," one of their most notable songs over the course of one late night. Oddly, this song appeared on the soundtrack but was never heard in the actual movie because of how integral the song was to Braff during the filming.

Radin's new album, Simple Times, arrives on iTunes today and in stores on September 30th. In support of his new album, Radin will be hitting the roads on national tour with Missy Higgins starting in October. His new single, "I'd Rather Be With You," is what you'd expect...a relaxing whisper of a song with light-pop backing. Nothing outstanding, but certainly great.

Joshua Radin - I'd Rather Be With You

Oh yeah! little trivia here: Most make fun of Radin's constant whisper-like singing style and think he's afraid to unleash a bit. Not true. Radin had a daytime job, forcing him to sing very quietly as he practiced through the late night hours.

What's Your Summersong?

I'm going to put this out there and if you like, take it. And if you don't, you can send it right back: By the looks of it, I'm guessing no school or parent would let any member of the band Eels near their children. Looks are only skin deep, but I think their skin is pretty thick.

I was asked at work the other day what my summersong was and Eels' "Fresh Feeling" was the first thing that popped to mind. Why? This song seems to pop up almost daily during my 4-mile morning bike ride to work, creating the perfect soundtrack to the rolling fields, streams, llamas, horses, sheep, cows and bridges I pass each day en route to my music industry job in Boulder.

Birds singing a song,
old pain is peeling,
this is that fresh
that fresh feeling.
Words can't be that strong,
my heart is real,
this is that fresh,
that fresh feeling.

Without taking the time to write-out, ponder and second guess a list of my top 5 Summersongs, here they are in no particular order apart from #1:
1. Eels - Fresh Feeling
2. Apostle of Hustle - My Sword Hand's Anger
3. Delta Spirit - People, Turn Around
4. Josh Ritter & Hilary Hahn - Girl In the War (live)
5. Frightened Rabbit - Backwards Walk

Why else do I love this song?
1. A friend recently put this on a mix and though I'd heard it before, this seemed to be one of the songs that needed a re-introduction to my playlist.
2. Yet another song originally introduced to me by Braff and Scrubs