Twilight Soundtrack Review

Hey,

As I’m sure I’ve mentioned before, I am a devout Twi-Hard. I have been ever since the first movie came out when I was in 7^th grade and my parents finally relented and let me see it. The last movie just came out and it got me thinking. Even though Twilight can be a rather dividing issue (whether it’s Team Jacob vs. Team Edward or Twi-Hards versus Harry Potter/ Hunger Games fans or people who just flat out hate Twilight). I’m not here to argue my point, but the one thing fans and non-fans have been able to agree on is that the soundtracks have been amazing. So, in celebration, or mourning, depending on your opinion, of Breaking Dawn Part Two, I am going to, for the next several weeks, review all of the movie soundtracks.

                Tonight, I will start with the first soundtrack to The Twilight Saga: Twilight.

                1. Supermassive Black Hole by Muse- Oh, Muse. One of my favorite bands of all time! I love the heavy rock guitars at the beginning which give way to Matthew’s ridiculously perfect falsetto and creepy lyrics. It fits so perfectly with the movie, as well as the baseball scene it’s featured in. Amazing.

2. Decode by Paramore- I usually do not like most female vocalists, but Hayley Williams is one of the exceptions. Her voice has so much power and emotion that it’s honestly hard not to like it. My favorite thing about the song is the way it builds. It does not just stay at one tempo or one level; it constantly crescendos until it reaches its very beautiful climax at the chorus. All of the instrumentation melds together nicely and the chorus describes Edward and Bella’s relationship, though someone is probably going to kill me for pointing that out. J

3. Full Moon by The Black Ghosts- that acoustic guitar truly is captivating; I’m a big fan of that. The drum line is simple, yet complex and the soft violins in the background speak volumes, while allowing the haunting vocals to remain front and center.

4. Leave Out All the Rest by Linkin Park- Chester Bennington may be one of the best lead singers ever. I am not a big Linkin Park fan, but I think Chester’s voice carries so much emotion, switching effortlessly from subdued to angry and so forth. The song itself is mediocre at best, but I like Chester. J

5. Spotlight by Mutemath- Ah, Mutemath. If it weren’t for Twilight, I never would have found this amazing band. Wow. Kind of deep if you don’t think about it. Anyways, I’ve reviewed this song before, but I love Darren’s drumming and Paul’s gorgeous, soaring vocals that many try but fail to replicate. Best song on the album.

6. Go All the way Into the Twilight by Perry Farrell- One of the most random songs on the album. I hate it and love it at the same time. I have no idea what he is talking about—though I think it has something to do with sex—and the female vocals in the background feel unnecessary and childish, yet it’s one of my favorite songs on the CD. It was played during the prom scene, so I guess I will always associate it with that. Maybe that’s why I like it. Regardless, it’s a good song. J

7. Tremble For My Beloved by Collective Soul- Only the instrumental portion was played in the movie, but the rest of the song is pretty good too. I like the steady drumming, very vintage guitar section and the fact that it’s Collective Soul. J

8. I Caught Myself by Paramore- Song numero dos from Paramore, and arguably 10 times better than Decode. Don’t get me wrong; Decode was amazing, but the introduction to this song and the infectious chorus really sold me. Very pretty, which is something I rarely say about Paramore. J

9. Eyes on Fire by Blue foundation- Creepy, creepy, creepy. I think the song is about torturing something but I can’t be sure. The song fits in with the movie, to an extent, but it’s good on its own. Kind of a weird one, but sometimes weird is good. J

10. Never Think by Robert Pattinson- Yes, the dude who played Edward is singing this song. Crazy, right? If I didn’t know it was him, I never would have guessed. Well, it’s certainly different. I’ll give him that much. My guess is he recorded this song while under the influence of something; he has a good voice, but he spends most of the song muttering the lyrics. The guitar part is pretty and when he actually sings, it’s a nice track. Not Mutemath, but not bad.

11. Flightless Bird, American Mouth by Iron and Wine- Yes, the Twilight saga introduced me to the musical mastermind known as Iron and Wine. I do have to credit them for this one too. J I love the tambourine—they’re magical instruments—the accordion, and Sam’s gentle vocals. It could almost be a lullaby, if it weren’t for the second verse when the guitar and other instruments kick in. Almost as amazing as Mute Math’s track, but still a gem.

12. Let Me Sign by Robert Pattinson- Yes, it’s him again. I like this song, but I have to be honest. The first time I head it, I thought it was some sort of tribal birthing song. Then, I realized he was speaking in English and it was Robert. Oops. I love how organic it is but wish he would sing instead of this moaning and groaning thing. Seriously.

13. Bella’s Lullaby by Carter Burwell- One of my favorite tracks (it’s my namesake; how can I not like it?) and easily one of the most memorable. Carter has a true knack for taking a simple theme and creating something unexpected. Stunning.

Well, that’s it for this week. Next week, it’s New Moon time.

Until then,

Bella (Cullen…) J