The Shins will be aiming to change lives again when they feature on Zach Braff‘s Garden State directorial follow-up, Wish I Was Here. While the movie’s release is still a month away, The Shins’ contribution So Now What can be heard right now.
The Shins burst into popular notoriety when they featured on the best-selling soundtrack to Braff’s 2004 film Garden State, where Natalie Portman famously told Braff that the band’s music would “change your life, I swear”. Ten years on, Braff revealed to NPR this new song was written by frontman James Mercer at his request.
“It’s no secret I am a giant fan of The Shins,” said the actor and director. “For this film, I asked James Mercer if he would consider writing something original, inspired by his first impression of seeing the film. Not only did he say yes, but what he came back with gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. He is a savant.”
The screenplay for Wish I Was Here was written by Zach Braff and his brother Adam and has been described as the story of a 30-something father searching for purpose in his life. A successful Kickstarter project raised over $3 million from over 46,000 contributors to fund the project, allowing Braff to retain creative control over the film’s production, including the highly anticipated soundtrack.
“As a music lover, nothing has been more gratifying than collaborating on this project with my favourite artists,” Braff told NPR. “Between The Shins, Bon Iver, Cat Power and Coldplay…I never dreamed I’d get to work with so many of my favourite musicians on Wish I Was Here.”
The Wish I Was Here soundtrack is due out in the US on July 15th, with the film hitting theatres not long after. Check out the soundtrack’s full list of tracks below.
Listen: The Shins – So Now What
Watch: Wish I Was Here trailer Feat. The Shins
Wish I Was Here Soundtrack
1. The Shins – So Now What
2. Gary Jules – Broke Window
3. Radical Face – The Mute
4. Hozier – Cherry Wine (Live)
5. Bon Iver – Holocene
6. Badly Drawn Boy – The Shining
7. Jump Little Children – Mexico
8. Cat Power & Coldplay – Wish I Was Here
9. Allie Moss– Wait It Out
10. Paul Simon – The Obvious Child
11. Japanese Wallpaper – Breathe In (feat. Wafia)
12. Bon Iver – Heavenly Father
13. Aaron Embry – Raven’s Song
14. The Weepies – Mend
15. The Head and the Heart – No One To Let You Down
