She Deviant || Soundtrack Review: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
In preparation for the premiere of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2, I decided to give the much anticipated (at least for me) soundtrack a listen. I’m one of those people (insert rolling of eyes), you know, read all the Twilight books and bought my ticket for the 10PM premiere tomorrow (thank God for the early showing), but I go into these movies with the mind set that it will never EVER be better than the book and I can only hope it gives the book justice. I feel the same with movie soundtracks; do the chosen songs feel appropriate and set the mood for the flick? We’ll find out!
I’m a HUGE indie-folk music lover, but I think I can save room in my heart for other genres the soundtrack may contain. Being a big fan of all of their soundtracks, I will be listening with hopeful ears…
And a quick FYI, I listened to each track at least twice. Not only to see how the track made me feel but to really give the lyrics a listen and visualize where the song would fit in the movie.
The soundtrack starts off with Where I Come From by Passion Pit, which makes me feel as if I’m floating on air. The sweet sound and message make me imagine it’s an Edward to Bella song “…I think we’ll be alright”. Yes, yes you will be.
Here comes Bittersweet by Ellie Goulding, produced by her ex-beau Skrillex. It has exactly what you would expect this duo; loving the pop with a touch of Skrillex, because you know, Skrillex is a genre on its own. Catchy tune, a fave indeed.
Following that was The Forgotten by Green Day, which I was surprised to see this artist on the soundtrack. I guess the bigger the movie, the bigger the artist/band being showcased. It was a slow paced tune for the trio and not one of my faves (le sigh). I kept waiting for the “it” moment, but I think I was distracted trying to understand the meaning behind the lyrics.
Next was Fire In The Water by Feist. Oh Feist, how I love thee. Her voice and melody give a great tone for the story; closing my eyes I imagined walking through misty woods. I mean, you can’t get more literal than that. Needless to say, I will dub this a fave for me but I wished it was a bit longer.
Next was a newcomer to my ears, Everything and Nothing by The Boom Circuits. I love electro-pop and this duo kept the mellow feel that should be in all Twilight soundtracks. I dig.
And then came a change in pace, The Antidote by St. Vincent. Keeping the electro feel, she brought a bit of a wake up beat. The title says it all, oh Edward, will you be my antidote? 😛
The following track, Speak Up by Pop Etc, brought some acoustic guitar into the mix in the beginning but kept the electro-pop feel througout (I’m beginning to see a trend here). The track is originally named Virgins by The Morning Benders but the band has since changed their name to Pop Etc and changed the name of their song to Speak Up. Long story it seems (google away if you dare) but I dig this version and a fave for me so far.
Next was Heart of Stone by Iko, an artist I haven’t discovered yet. I’m always a lover of a stripped version of a song; only voice and piano. Lovely…yet I felt likeshedding a tear. That being said, it’s a fave. #SuckerForEmoSongs
And along came Cover Your Tracks by A Boy and His Kite. Somehow I already knew to expect an acoustic feel by the name of the band, which I haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing. I loved this song. With lyrics like “…sew up your wounds, test out your engine, give it some room”, you can’t help but want to get up and try try again. A dub thee a Bella song. A fave, ding ding ding!
Ghosts by James Vincent McMorrow will remind you of Bon Iver. Lover of the Iver, it was hard not to feel the same for this fellow. A perfect Edward song “…we are ghosts amongst these hills, from the trees of velvet green, to the ground beneath our feet.”
And here is a special surprise, All I’ve Ever Needed by Paul McDonald and Nikki Reed. The lovely couple brought the “awh” to the soundtrack, they are just too cute! Oh and their song is pretty good too 😛 This is a total Paul and Nikki song…er Bella and Edward I mean.
New For You by Reeve Carney came and went. It didn’t leave a lasting impression or seem to flow well with the other songs on the album (le sigh). Not sure if his Broadway musical background played into any of this, but it was just a bit different for me.
And now enters A Thousand Years: Part 2 by Christina Perri featuring Steve Kazee, a remix of sorts. It wouldn’t be a Twilight soundtrack without a new take on a beloved song. I loved the oringinal and can appreciate this rendention.
And the soundtrack ends with Plus Que Ma Prope Vie by Carter Burwell. Lovely instrumental. I am one that adores listening to the scores from my beloved movies. I’ve always enjoyed the fact that these soundtracks have managed to include at least one instrumental in each album. It’s a great way to end the soundtrack and keep the mood of the movie within you.
Alas, the soundtrack is complete! I really liked this compilation. Not the strongest compared to my two faves, being from New Moon (swoons) and Breaking Dawn: Part 1 (double swoons), but a clear contender with them all. The entire mood of this album was mellow with a shot of electro-pop. No surprise, being that many of the artists are of the indie genres. I think this album is a definate buy and a great add to your “I need a moment to escape” playlist.
