Dylan Meyer's indie stoner comedy "The Wrong Girls" arrived in theaters this weekend with a roster of indie rock talent woven throughout its soundtrack and narrative. Ty Segall, the prolific garage and psych-rock musician known for his genre-bending work, composed the film's score. The choice reflects Meyer's commitment to grounding the comedy in authentic underground music culture.
The film doesn't just use indie rock as background texture. Philadelphia noise-punk band Mannequin Pussy appear in an actual scene, bringing their confrontational live energy to the screen. Meanwhile, Sheer Mag opens the credits with their muscular proto-punk sound, while Seattle indie pop outfit Tacocat contributes tracks to the mix.
This approach to soundtrack curation signals something deliberate about Meyer's filmmaking. Rather than licensing existing songs as period color or ironic counterpoint, she's constructed a sonic world where these artists feel integral to the story's DNA. Segall's involvement as composer carries particular weight. His output spans multiple genres and moods, from lo-fi experimentation to orchestral ambition, making him an ideal fit for a film that likely jumps between comedic beats and darker undercurrents.
The stoner comedy genre, which often relies on music for both comedic timing and atmosphere, benefits enormously from this kind of curation. Mannequin Pussy's scene cameo matters differently than a typical celebrity guest spot. It imports authentic alt-music credibility rather than diluting it. Sheer Mag and Tacocat's placement suggests Meyer understands how indie rock audiences read soundtracks as texts worthy of attention.
Meyer's debut feature signals a director attuned to how underground music culture operates and what it means to younger audiences. She's not employing indie rock as decoration for a mainstream comedy. She's built the film's identity partly through the artists themselves.