Whenever I hear of celebrities trying their hands at music, I always get a bit squeamish. I instantly hear Eddie Murphy singing “Party All the Time” and then I can’t stop myself from doing “The Carlton”. Needless to say, I get strange looks when this happens.
On the other hand, there are some definite success stories (and I’m specifically not talking about Scarlett Johnansson covering Tom Waits). Phantom Planet, which featured Jason Schwartzman at one time, wasn’t half bad. Zooey Deschanel’s has enjoyed moderate indie success playing in the group She & Him.
Then there’s Dead Man’s Bones featuring Ryan Gosling of Half Nelson-fame. Check out the track below, My Body’s a Zombie for You (recorded in conjunction with the Flea-pioneered Silverlake Conservatory Children’s Choir). Apart from the content of the song, which initially enticed me to check it out, it’s good stuff!
Station 18 1/2 