Saturday, October 24, 2009

New Moon Soundtrack Review

Chicago Tribune:

Given the multiplatinum, across-the-board smash success of the first "Twilight" soundtrack, which boosted the careers of Paramore and Muse to new heights, many questioned whether the second installment could escape being overcome by the music industry's primal desire to sink its fangs into teenagers' wallets.

Spoiler alert: It does.

"The Twilight Saga: New Moon" (Chop Shop/Atlantic) is a rare soundtrack that both avoids the usual need for already-familiar songs and the cost-cutting desire to pad out the album with no-name filler. From start to finish, "New Moon" is packed with interesting, left-of-center rock that will likely fit well with the upcoming movie.

In keeping with the movie's theme, no one really rocks out on "New Moon," though Death Cab for Cutie's trembling, Radiohead-tinged "Meet Me on the Equinox" comes close. Muse's remix of "I Belong to You" is understated, and the Killers' pretty "White Demon Love Song" is remarkably subdued. Even the usually bombastic OK Go yes, the treadmill-video guys turn in a lovely jangling ballad, "Shooting the Moon," while the normally in-your-face Black Rebel Motorcycle Club lays off the throttle on the acoustic "Done All Wrong."

While indie rockers will flip over Grizzly Bear's haunting "Slow Life" and the spare Bon Iver and St. Vincent duet "Roslyn," the album's biggest surprises are Lykke Li's gorgeous, spare ballad "Possibility" and Thom Yorke's lower-register, electro-leaning "Hearing Damage."

Of course, those surprise successes really are trumped by music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas' ability to keep the music industry vampires at bay.


Question: Have you purchased the soundtrack yet? What are your thoughts?

6 comments:

Unknown said...

I got it! It's interesting and I'm trying to picture where the songs go in the movie. I like because it is different.

Danielle said...

I got it, and although I do enjoy it I wouldn't mind if it had a few more pump up songs like twilight did. Maybe just two or so in there. But I do understand that this movie is darker with her depression. It's not pure exhilaration from everything like Twilight. Therefore it's understandable that the songs are darker.

Kira said...

I bought the soundtrack, but most of the songs are really not my type... Too bad. I did like the piano piece from the meadow though. Look forward to the score CD.

Cindy said...

I've heard some of it. I think it's going to be one of those "you listen to it long enough, you end up like it" soundtracks.

XxX-nellie-XxX said...

I got it. It's really good i especaly lyk satellite heart by anya marina and the piano peice.

Anonymous said...

ummm i didnt get it my bff had twilight soundrack n i cant stand listenin to the songs (she always plays it around her house) i only listen to parmores songs the others drive me insane idk y, it just sounds so akward i think. but i luv twilight n everything else so its ok, well actully my fav was eclipse..................... haha