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

Movie Scores

Hey,

So, as I’ve mentioned before, I have a varied taste in music. I can go from Hall and Oates to MuteMath to Bob James to Beethoven, and not bat an eyelash. That’s just me; I like to mix up what I listen to. Therefore, it shouldn’t really come as a surprise that I really like musical scores as well. The score can really make or a break a TV show or movie. Often times, it’s the score that sets the tone for a scene or even the entire movie.

Without further ado, I present to you, my faithful audience, my top five favorite TV or More Scores…

5. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by John Williams- If you pay any attention to scores, you will know that John Williams has crafted many incredible movie scores, including Indiana Jones, Star Wars, War Horse, E.T, Jurassic Park, and several Harry Potter movies. The reason this makes my list is because Mr. Williams incorporates the whimsical side of the series and the threatening darkness that dominates the last four movies (and their respective novels). He brings the scenes alive by featuring a prominent violin section that allows each scene to straddle the line between slightly creepy and mystical, as this is, after all, a school for witches and wizards. One of my favorite tracks is Aunt Marge’s Waltz because it has a very lilting feeling to it (it is a waltz. Duh) and the winds section keeps the scene very light and slightly playful, a direct contrast to some of the following scenes. It’s a fantastic piece of work.

4. The Incredibles by Michael Giacchino and Tim Simonec- Mr. Giacchino has done several other Pixar scores and a couple video game scores but Mr. Simonec, on the other hand, is not as well known. Nevertheless,  I love this score because of the strong flute and woodwind lines, mingling with the equally powerful brass section. Whether the star of a particular track is a simple flute, or a pounding drum, Mr. Giacchino and Mr. Simonec’s music fits perfectly with each scene. My favorite song is Lava in the Afternoon. For some reason, it reminds me of something Bob James or another jazz great would have written. It’s very sneaky—perfect for a superhero movie—and it builds nicely.

3. Dirty Harry by Lalo Schifrin- One of the greatest movies of the 1970’s, if you ask me. J Lalo Schifrin, in case you didn’t know, is the genius behind the classic Mission Impossible score, including the memorable main theme. The score for Dirty harry stands out because it embodies the 1970’s, capturing the jazzy, slick vibe of the decade. Honestly, in my opinion, I wish more scores nowadays would rely on more of a jazz-based style, as opposed to every score being dominated by violins and cellos. Sometimes, like in my favorite track, the main title, you need a little brass, complicated rhythms supplied by the drum section, and light woodwinds.

2. 24 by Sean Callery- I realize my 24 obsession is not exactly a secret. I watched the show because Jack Bauer is—still, after 8 seasons—incredible and the plots were always creative, much like the score.  My favorite song is “Up and Down Stairs.” Even without any previous knowledge of the show, it’s easy to guess what’s going on: a chase. Yep, it’s easy to gather. I love how it starts on inconspicuous and then it just hits you like a speeding train. This just sounds like  jack Bauer song, if something like that existed. J Great soundtrack. Absolutely great.

1. Twilight by Carter Burwell-Before you roll your eyes, keep in mind that I’m discussing the score, not the movie—which I do love—so save the “Twilight sucks” comments for somewhere else. J My favorite track is “Dinner with His Family.” It’s running time is a mere 40 seconds, yet, by incorporating the same melody that is interlaced through nearly every track, adding in a slight rock theme and letting the violins express the emotion of the scene—fear, anxiety, etc. It’s absolutely beautiful. The reason I picked this album as my favorite score is because it was this very score that really encouraged me to start paying attention to how a  score really builds a scene, turns the movie into something more than robotic motions and witty lines, and holds more emotion than a human face can express. Scores save movies, I think.

So, I hope you enjoyed reading about my diverse taste in music. Next week, I’ll get back to reviewing and ranting. J

Until then,

Bella