One afternoon while I was stumbling around iTunes, I came upon The Twilight Saga: New Moon Official Soundtrack. As any curious person would, I listened to the previews hoping that I would enjoy it as much as I did Twilight’s. Listening to thirty seconds of “A White Demon Love Song” sealed the deal for me, and I bought the entire album. I was not disappointed in the least. The medley of popular and indie acts alike were just perfect for the movie.
Fitting to the movie, the opener “Meet Me on the Equinox” by Death Cab for Cutie sets the mood for this album which is dark and brooding. The album perfectly captures the feelings of Edward, Bella, and Jacob. With such dismal tunes, the soundtrack could have been labeled sappy and depressing. However, the sheer quality of the songs keeps it from becoming monotonous. The tracks flow well because they all follow the same theme of earnest yearning infused with eeriness.
The most powerful song on the album is “A White Demon Love Song” by The Killers. This song embodies the message of the movie New Moon. It is charged with lyrics suggesting regret, longing, and selflessness verse selfishness. Other stand outs are “Hearing Damage,” “Possibility,” and “Satellite Heart.” Both “Possibility” and “Satellite Heart” are soft spoken but have a good message. The lyrics of both skillfully express being broken and defeated.
Unfortunately, all albums have their filler songs. Some songs leave something to be desired. “Done All Wrong” by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club in and of itself might have been an enjoyable song, but together with the rest of the tracks it is overshadowed and seems unnecessary. After “Done All Wrong” comes “Monsters” by Hurricane Bells, another unneeded, undesirable track. In my opinion, both songs could have been removed and no one would have complained.
After those little bumps Sea Wolf puts us back on track with “The Violet Hour” which has a much needed quicker tempo. Soon after that is “Slow Life” by Grizzly Bear with Victoria Legrand where the singers sound almost jaded, but the idea of the song is so powerful that I am willing to overlook that. The Twilight Saga: New Moon Official Soundtrack is wrapped up with the beautiful “New Moon (The Meadow)” by Alexandre Desplat.
Much to my dismay, these songs probably won’t be major hits because they don’t fit into the mainstream type. However, the Twilight fanatics will help sales rise and maybe they’ll spread the word that this is an incredible collection of music with sinister vibes. Whether or not the movie is a success, New Moon’s soundtrack should not be disregarded.