(Album Review)

I love to listen to movie soundtracks in advance of a film's release.

This one bears interest for indie fans, curiously strange and less pop than the Twlight Original soundtrack , although there were some good picks on that one, too. We are now forever MuteMath fans.

New Moon Soundtrack

Chris Weitz had a lot of control here and seemed to direct the music to the more mystical and obviously monster influenced. I'm now curious to hear how he matches the visuals with the soundscapes presented. The album starts out with a familiar Death Cab sound, which seems a bit forced to fit the frame for me, but then rocks onto Band of Skulls' "Friends" which is one of my favorites. The long awaited Thom Yorke (Radiohead) song did not disappoint. "Hearing Damage" is far from the truth. We didn't miss "15 Steps" when they rolled the credits in the Original Soundtrack, so welcome to the fold, sir. "You can do no wrong in my eyes." The women's voices chosen for the album, Lykke Li, Anya Marina, are a smokey set up; an innocent air, with a spooky side, much like Dakota promises to do with the character Jane.  The Killers, "White Demon Love Song" is a foundation for several stories inherent in the book.

Muse has been named as the inspiration for Meyer's storyline and we listened intently for their work. "I Belong to You" carries a great guitar and vocal, a straightforward lyric to the sought lost love, but somehow misses the brooding angst that reigns us in.

Bon Iver and St. Vincent in Roslyn are lovely, I wonder if it will be matched with the dream sequences in Bella's mind as she painfully misses Edward.

"Done All Wrong" by the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club had an earthy folk feel with a basic acoustic and harmonica.

Hurricane Bells' "Monsters" is a happy ride with your favorite demons ... call up your ghosts and fasten their seat belts ... off we go for a spin on a Sunday afternoon ... we all have our specters ... pleased to meet me.

"The Violet Hour" by Sea Wolf ... what do you think ... upbeat relief to roll the credits ?? It's a great tune for post-1980's fans with "All of This and Nothing" loaded up on their iPods .

OK Go, what a great name for band, "Shooting the Moon"; relatively bland, until the cool guitar flick at the end ... but most films don't play songs to their fullest ... we'll see.

"Slow Life" by Grizzly Bear with Victoria Legend was indeed slow, but most likely will provide good balance for the more upbeat tracks and was amorphous enough to add to the film's various paces.

"No Sound But the Wind" by the Editors, I didn't care for the vocals on this track. The voice seemed too mature for this film.

"New Moon (The Meadow)" by Alexandre Desplat, was beautiful, yet sad. Romantic, but anxious. It is difficult to separate what we know of the books from these songs, which makes it even more fun to anticipate.

So that's my first impression of the New Moon Soundtrack, curious and strange.

We're cued up for the movie's opening on November 20th.

Edward, we're coming ... Keep your shirt on !!

Track List: Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack

Meet Me On The Equinox 3:44 Death Cab For Cutie 
Friends 3:10 Band Of Skulls 
Hearing Damage 5:06 Thom Yorke 
Possibility 5:07 Lykke Li 
A White Demon Love Song 3:35 The Killers 
Satellite Heart 3:35 Anya Marina 
I Belong To You (New Moon Remix) 3:13 Muse 
Roslyn 4:50 Bon Iver & St. Vincent 
Done All Wrong 2:51 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 
Monsters 3:17 Hurricane Bells 
The Violet Hour 3:33 Sea Wolf 
Shooting The Moon 3:19 OK Go 
Slow Life 4:22 Grizzly Bear With Victoria Legend   

 No Sound But The Wind 3:49 Editors 
New Moon (The Meadow) 4:09 Alexandre Desplat