By: Eli Prysant
New Moon: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Various Artists
Oh, how the vampire craze has spread. It feels like you can’t escape it, that no matter where you go you see something that is somehow about the new phenomenon of the vampire as a sex symbol. To tie in with the new movie from the series that helped to launch the craze, an original soundtrack was complied. The sound of the previous soundtrack was angst-ridden teen rock, but on this original soundtrack (the prior one was not), the producers decided to take a different approach, and instead turned to the Indy crowd to help create it. Surprisingly, many acts answered the call, ranging from Band of Skulls to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Most of the lyrics and songs sound the same (The wonders and insecurities of undead love set to hushed atmospheres), but it’s definitely an impressive collection of artists. The opening track and lead single “Meet Me on the Equinox” by Death Cab For Cutie sets the mood for the rest of the album, with lead singer Benjamin Gibbard promising salvation from loneliness yet guaranteeing it at the same time with lines like “Let our bodies intertwine/ But always understand that everything ends.” The melancholy reverberates through tracks like Lykke Li’s “Possibility”, the Killers’ “A White Demon Love Song”, and the stellar remix of Muse’s “I Belong To You”. The highlight however, is the Thom Yorke track “Hearing Damage”. King at the art of atmospheric music, Yorke was the unlikely yet most obvious choice to contribute to the soundtrack, and he definitely delivers with a track filled with spastic drumming and electronic humming. Hear it for yourself below.
