"Have you ever had a secret you couldn't tell anyone?"
Well, I have a secret, but its probably not the one your expecting. Last week I was surprised to see that the official soundtrack has already been released for the much anticipated sequel to Twilight, New Moon. This is no secret, for sure, but I love this series and can't wait to wear my "Team Edward" shirt at the 12am premiere on November 20th - game on Elisa! For me, the soundtrack release is almost as exciting as seeing the movie itself. The first soundtrack in this series featured a great Indie Pop/Rock mix that introduced great bands such as Muse and Mutemath to the masses. For a movie that had a minuscule budget, they were able to produce a stellar soundtrack.
Now for the secret... this soundtrack is HORRIBLE! How can I accurately describe my disappointment? The movie centers around the main character, Bella, being extremely depressed - um seriously, my favorite kind of music... depressing. This was a recipe for a great soundtrack, but no, they had to royally screw it up! Sophomore records for soundtracks are almost as deadly as for recording artists, apparently. Efforts were taken to re-create the Indie-ness of the first soundtrack by including artists such as Death Cab For Cutie and OK Go. However, I feel they failed miserably.
And "The Worst" awards go to...
WORST SOUNDTRACK SIGNATURE SOUND: "Meet Me On the Equinox" Death Cab For Cutie
As the headlining song for the movie, this Death Cab rock ballad totally fails to live up to its predecessor "Decode" by Paramore. Not even the silly music video that displays scenes from the upcoming movie can save this one (although it is the only reason to watch... ONCE!). Sorry to all the fans of this band, I've just never been able to really get into their music, and this is no exception. A total of three notes are played and sung throughout the entire 3 minutes and 40 seconds, where's the intrigue in that? Granted, I have not seen the movie yet, maybe this music fits perfectly within the New Moon world. But mostly I think the soundtrack gets a huge F-.
WORST SONG BY A GREAT BAND: A White Demon Love Song by The Killers
Don't get me wrong, I love The Killers hence the "Great Band" reference. That being said, when listening to their music, you have to accept that they are slightly "odd." While I don't loathe this song, I don't love it either. Its quirky, but lacks that "je ne sais quoi" that I have come to expect from the band. There are so many other Killers songs that could be used I just don't understand, why this one? In another setting, I might have been more accepting of this unique ballad. Overall, it comes down to being another random choice in a string of weird and awkward musical selections. Sorry Killer, you lose.
BEST OF THE WORST: New Moon (The Meadow) by Alexandre Desplat
There had to be a redeeming factor somewhere in here, right? Well there is one song that fits the category perfectly. This is an instrumental piece by Alexadre Desplat. It features a solo piano composition that plays like a sweetly romantic love song. Twilight's first attempt at an instrumental score was monumentally unsuccessful. Carter Burwell had limited resources, granted, but the music he composed was strange and failed to mimic the sounds that were described by Stephenie Meyer in her books. Clearly, this was a feeling that a lot of people shared, including the musical director for New Moon. This new Meadow melody is sweet, simple, and is completely believable that Edward wrote and played it for his Bella.
1. Meet Me at the Equinox by Death Cab For Cutie
2. Friends by Band of Skulls
3. Hearing Damage by Thom Yorke
4. Possibility by Lykke Li
5. A White Demon Love Song by The Killers
6. Satallite Heart by Anya Marina
7. I Belong to You (New Moon Remix) by Muse
8. Roslyn by Bon Iver & St. Vincent
9. Done All Wrong by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
10. Monsters by Hurrican Bells
11. The Violet Hour by Sea Wolf
12. Shooting the Moon by Ok Go
13. Slow Life (with Vicotria Legrand) by Grizzly Bear
14. No Sound But the Wind by Editors
15. New Moon (The Meadow) by Alexandre Desplat
16. Solar Midnite (Bonus Track) by Lupe Fiasco
17. All I Believe In (Bonus Track) by The Magic Numbers
18. Die Fledermaus - Duettino: Ach, Ich Darf Nicht Hin Zu Dir by APM Orchstra
