Strange Weirdos: Music from and Inspired by the Film Knocked Up suffices as the soundtrack for Judd Apatow's 2007 summer comedy. Unlike so many recordings that are "music from and inspired by the film," this one actually serves as both a soundtrack and as Loudon Wainwright III's new album. Co-produced by Wainwright and Joe Henry, the album boasts an all-star cast that includes bassist David Pilch,Greg Leisz,Van Dyke Parks,Patrick Warren,Richard Thompson, and others. According to Apatow's liner notes, he saw Wainwright perform "Grey in L.A." and asked him to record a version without words. Wainwright, in London at the time, asked if he could use Thompson. Wainwright was also working on his own album with Henry and suggested him as a co-collaborator. The music from the songs on the album other than two songs, "Grey in L.A." and the album's second track, play as the beginning and end credits of the film. The rest of the songs were used with their lyrics stripped out as incidental music. So here are the songs that Wainwright and Henry cut, vocals and all. There are two covers on the set, Peter Blegvad's "Daughter," and Mose Allison's "Feel So Good." Henry contributed a couple of instrumentals in the atmospheric "Ypsilanti," and the gorgeous Parks and band ballad "Naomi." Wainwright also re-cut "Lullaby," a song from a 1973 album. He and Henry co-wrote "You Can't Fail M e Now," and the loose, raggedy blues "So Much to Do." Those are the mechanics....