Allegra Krieger‘s new album Art of the Unseen Infinity Machine is out today via Double Double Whammy; stream it below. As we wrote in Notable Releases, “she’s been busy; her fifth album, Art of the Unseen Infinity Machine arrives just over a year after last year’s great I Keep My Feet On The Fragile Plane, and less than a year after its collection of b-sides. It’s also a clear step forward from Fragile Plane, incorporating a wider range of sounds and collaborators into her somber, ’70s-folk-inspired sound, from the fully fleshed out indie rock of “Never Arriving” to “How Do You Sleep, which is scorched with noisy guitar. Krieger’s juxtapositions of NYC as a place where beauty and tragedy live side by side are sharp as ever — she calls the city “my favorite place in the whole wide world” on “Into Eternity,” but it’s also where she escaped a fire in her Chinatown apartment building that killed four of her neighbors last summer, inspiring “One or the Other.” Her incisive observations have the same quiet staying power of her melodies, and both stick around long after you’ve first heard them.”
To celebrate the release of Art of the Unseen Infinity Machine, Allegra made us a list of her top 10 songs featured in or written for a movie soundtrack. You can read her list, complete with commentary, below.
ALLEGRA KRIEGER’S TOP 10 SONGS FEATURED IN OR WRITTEN FOR A MOVIE SOUNDTRACK
“Perfect Day” – Lou Reed in Trainspotting
The scene is like a gut punch.. totally disturbing & scored by my favorite Lou Reed song/era. It’s the perfect balance of darkness & euphoria.
“The Ecstasy of Gold” – Ennio Morricone in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Basically a masterpiece – the vocal moment is incredible.
“Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometimes” – Beck (The Korgis cover) in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
This song plays during the credits – when you’re still slightly destroyed but have also found a new sense of hope. I’ve listened to the Beck version on end, and just learned that it was a cover of The Korgis.
“Tristan und Isolde, Act I: Prelude” – Wagner in Melancholia
This piece is the only music scoring the whole film, it’s so effective and stunning and eerie.
“Super Freak” – Rick James in Little Miss Sunshine
I’m a softy and this scene always makes me cry and laugh aloud. Also, “she’s a very kinky girl” is a great way to start a song.
“Little Person” – Jon Brion in Synecdoche, New York
“One person in a sea of many other people who are unaware of me..I do my little job, live my little life, eat my little meals..” Ubiquitous & gorgeously composed. I used to listen to this song on the A train at rush hour.. brings a sense of peace, but it’s searing with melancholy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA_ubhYgjAc
“Criminal” – Fiona Apple in Hustler
I’m really into pole dancing and JLo kills it- super fun scene. Also Fiona is the boss.
“These Days” – Nico (Jackson Browne cover) in The Royal Tenenbaums
It’s a beautiful scene, and formative for me in many ways. This song has some of my favorite lyrics ever.
“Streets of Philadelphia” – Bruce Springsteen in Philadelphia
Heartbreaking song with incredibly visceral lyrics.
“Miss Misery” – Elliott Smith in Good Will Hunting
Classic, a favorite of mine.
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Allegra will be on tour with Greg Mendez in October, wrapping up with a Brooklyn show at Baby’s All Right on October 30. See all dates below.
ALLEGRA KRIEGER: 2024 TOUR DATES
10/17 – Songbyrd – Washington, DC *
10/18 – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA *
10/19 – Club Cafe – Pittsburgh, PA *
10/21 – Rumba Cafe – Columbus, OH *
10/22 – The Bishop – Bloomington, IN *
10/23 – Cactus Club – Milwaukee, WI *
10/24 – 7th Street Entry – Minneapolis, MN *
10/25 – Schubas Tavern – Chicago, IL *
10/26 – Lager House – Detroit, MI
10/27 – The Drake – Toronto, ON
10/29 – The Rockwell – Somerville, MA
10/30 – Baby’s All Right – Brooklyn, NY *
* = w/ Greg Mendez