Exceptional soundtracks can make good movies great. They can also take on a life of their own, becoming a greater highlight than their respective films. In this series, I’m selecting some of my favorite soundtrack songs. While quite a few are well-known recordings, I’m also including a few that have flown under the radar over the years.

In just a little over a year, I believe this is already the fourth song from the Empire Records soundtrack that I’ve selected on Mental Jukebox. It’s one of my favorite soundtracks top to bottom, fueling both my imagination and my ambitions after graduating from college. Hearing The Martinis today I’m pleasantly surprised that “Free” has stood the test of time rather well.

The Breeders’ “Cannonball” was the more renowned Pixies side project. But The Martinis was no slouch in my mind. Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago teamed up with his then-wife to record two albums of unpretentious, melodic alt pop — a far cry from the pioneering two-minute musical rants from the Pixies. “Free” was easy to get, easy to listen to and easy to like.

“So free for the moment. Lost somewhere between the earth and the sky.”