'Twilight' soundtrack full of surprises
'New Moon' soundtrack leans heavily on established indie bands
Emily Sitton
Issue date: 11/19/09 Section: Living
Producer Alexandra Patsavas' selection of artists skillfully meshes the best of all sounds from the indie rock world. From the self-reflective and emotional-rock sound of Death Cab to the live-garage-band sound of Hurricane Belis to the bluesy Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, it offers a melody for every mood and listener.
"Meet Me on the Equinox," by Death Cab for Cutie, is the high note of the album. In typical Death Cab fashion, the repeated guitar riffs and drum beats draw the listener in for the ride, the lyrics buckle the belt and the vocals send the emotions into overdrive. The instrumentals weave perfectly with the lilting voice of Ben Gibbard as his words caress your ears. The song is eerie and ethereal with lyrics like "as we walk in the dimming light, well, darling, understand that everything, everything ends."
The juxtaposition of Death Cab's melancholic tone and Band of Skulls' upbeat rock tune "Friends" sets the stage for the sound variety on the rest of the soundtrack and gives listeners a taste of the movie's emotional rollercoaster plotline.
A pleasant surprise on the album came in the small form of Anya Marina. Her track "Satellite Heart" expresses haunting sadness with a mix of folksy-tones and airy vocals. With lyrics like, "I'm a satellite heart, lost in the dark. I've spun out so far," her song meshes perfectly with the tangled love triangle of the movie's heroine.
The track "Shooting the Moon," by OK Go was rather disappointing. Wavering between soft singing and heavy bass interludes, the track left me wanting more. It felt like the band was trying too hard to be intense, experimental and introspective and checked the coherence of the track at the door. However, it fit perfectly with the emotional vibe of the film: conflicted.
"Slow Life," by Grizzly Bear and featuring Victoria Legrand, picked up the emotional thread of the soundtrack with great guitar work and otherworldly vocals. Legrand's voice weaved perfectly with the already angelic vocals of the Bears to form a melodic tapestry of tambourine, piano and vocals.
If you like the variety of tracks on the regular soundtrack, the iTunes deluxe version offers even more with three additional tracks and Death Cab's music video. Lupe Fiasco's "Solar Midnite" offers a harder edge. Think the rap stylings of the Gorillaz mixed with the guitar riffing-style of Lenny Kravitz a la "Are You Gonna Go My Way."
Whether you're a fan of the books, films or simply an indie rock addict, like me, there's something for you on this soundtrack. You will find at least one track you can't do without whether you buy the whole album, just a few songs or splurge for the iTunes deluxe version.
"Meet Me on the Equinox," by Death Cab for Cutie, is the high note of the album. In typical Death Cab fashion, the repeated guitar riffs and drum beats draw the listener in for the ride, the lyrics buckle the belt and the vocals send the emotions into overdrive. The instrumentals weave perfectly with the lilting voice of Ben Gibbard as his words caress your ears. The song is eerie and ethereal with lyrics like "as we walk in the dimming light, well, darling, understand that everything, everything ends."
The juxtaposition of Death Cab's melancholic tone and Band of Skulls' upbeat rock tune "Friends" sets the stage for the sound variety on the rest of the soundtrack and gives listeners a taste of the movie's emotional rollercoaster plotline.
A pleasant surprise on the album came in the small form of Anya Marina. Her track "Satellite Heart" expresses haunting sadness with a mix of folksy-tones and airy vocals. With lyrics like, "I'm a satellite heart, lost in the dark. I've spun out so far," her song meshes perfectly with the tangled love triangle of the movie's heroine.
The track "Shooting the Moon," by OK Go was rather disappointing. Wavering between soft singing and heavy bass interludes, the track left me wanting more. It felt like the band was trying too hard to be intense, experimental and introspective and checked the coherence of the track at the door. However, it fit perfectly with the emotional vibe of the film: conflicted.
"Slow Life," by Grizzly Bear and featuring Victoria Legrand, picked up the emotional thread of the soundtrack with great guitar work and otherworldly vocals. Legrand's voice weaved perfectly with the already angelic vocals of the Bears to form a melodic tapestry of tambourine, piano and vocals.
If you like the variety of tracks on the regular soundtrack, the iTunes deluxe version offers even more with three additional tracks and Death Cab's music video. Lupe Fiasco's "Solar Midnite" offers a harder edge. Think the rap stylings of the Gorillaz mixed with the guitar riffing-style of Lenny Kravitz a la "Are You Gonna Go My Way."
Whether you're a fan of the books, films or simply an indie rock addict, like me, there's something for you on this soundtrack. You will find at least one track you can't do without whether you buy the whole album, just a few songs or splurge for the iTunes deluxe version.
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