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Establishing the attorneys in Laws of Attraction as professional and modern individuals, Shearmur opens the score with light contemporary tones on percussion and a simple theme performed by solo clarinet over a pleasant orchestral backdrop. There is an infectious quality to these clarinet solos, a feeling of likability inherent in the performance emphasis by the player. As the story progresses, Shearmur propels the music with consistently innocuous variations on these rhythms, promising what would be a no-thrills, easy going, and lazy afternoon listening experience. Only a slight hint of Chinese flavor in "Chinatown" augments an otherwise very static ensemble. But when the Irish sequences enter the film, Shearmur really earns his pay by spicing up the score's personality. Film music listeners heard Irish influences so often in scores of the late 1990's and early 2000's (James Horner alone saturated the Irish and Scottish genres for American ears) that some deemed it a dreaded style, but how often do you hear Irish rhythms and instrumentation with a touch of modern pizzazz? Without losing the lofty, flighty attitude of the score, the Irish cues maintain the same pace and enthusiasm as the rest of the score. The most impressive aspect of Laws of Attraction is Shearmur's attention to detail when transferring the main theme from the urban, American environment into the Irish one without missing a beat. The latter half of the score alternates between these sensibilities, passing the melody from the clarinet to oboe and flute for the Irish renditions. There are a few moments of high romance for those seeking fully orchestral swells, with two such string crescendos appearing in "An Irish Tale" and "Love at Last." The latter half of the score slows down as the romance matures and relies more heavily on solo piano elegance and continued clarinet work for the less comedic, conversational half of the film. By the end, the snazzy rhythms have faded away (with the exception of a quick reprise of this style in "Coda"), and a subtle, rather average atmosphere of romance finishes the score. For fans of the zippy rhythms, this inevitable turn may detract from the album. Still, the overall effort is commendable in its simplicity and casual accessibility. The album contains 35 minutes of Shearmur's score and is accompanied at the start by two of his own original songs, one an uneventful pop variation and the other a wilder Irish jig. Overall, this is a very easy-going and delightful score, but it contains nothing to reach out and grab you outside of some vaguely appealing Irish tones, making it an excellent bargain bin find for a breezy summer afternoon.  ***   @Amazon.com: CD or Download

Total Time: 41:16