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Five Outstanding American Movie Soundtracks of 2009:
OSTs that make you go ‘Yay!’ |
The Score
December 30, 2009 |
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Movie soundtracks are the musical equivalent of a solid wingman. They enhance a good movie and elevate a dull one. Some of the best ones can come into their own as standalone albums, but, as with the quintessential sidekick, they shine the brightest when they highlight another. Here are some of the best from 2009.
1. 500 Days of Summer
Like that ex you can’t ever seem to get over, this OST is probably not as awesome as you remember. Picked apart into bits, most tracks range from pleasantly bland to played-out. Though there are some truly excellent songs in the mix, the magic only happens when an otherwise nondescript tune gets seared into your brain, along with an impression of a manic-pixie-dream-girl dancing in Ikea. The songs and the moments blur into a cloud of intense feeling, conjuring up waves of buoyant glee usually anachronistic to Smiths songs, or utter dejection as when Regina Spektor’s plaintive ‘Hero’ comes over a particularly heart-rending sequence.
Standout Tracks:
‘Hero’ by Regina Spektor
‘Quequ’un M’a Dit’ by Carla Bruni
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2. Adventureland
'INXS, Crowded House, Bowie, Poison… oh my! You can practically smell the stench of AquaNet, sweat and desperation soaking into acid-wash denim. That’s the evocative power of the soundtrack to this coming-of-age film. The matter-of-fact film treatment coupled with the eclectic song selection imparts a certain freshness, like they’re playing on a new-fangled cassette tape and not on a classics station during a lonely midnight cab ride. The nicely edited choice of tracks has an honest mix-tape feel that captures a first-person account of all the misplaced bravado of a suburban ‘80s upbringing without having to resort to perfunctory Zeppelin.
Standout Tracks:
‘Your Love’ by The Outfield
‘Unsatisfied’ by The Replacements
3. Watchmen
Watchmen’s soundtrack is as disparate to regular comic book movie OSTs as the source material by Alan Moore was to ordinary comic books. The songs unabashedly expound on the narrative rather than just blending into the cacophony of sound effects. The ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’ opening montage replaces a lengthy backstory without sacrificing any of
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its gravity and depth while solid period pop and folk carry the tone throughout the movie’ shifting eras, only hitting a sour note when Leonard Cohen croons over Malin Akerman’s naked behind in possibly the unsexiest sex scene of the year.
Standout Tracks:
‘The Times They Are A-Changin’ by Bob Dylan
‘All Along The Watchtower’ by Jimi Hendrix
4. Transformers
Michael Bay could have tacked those classic ‘kapow’ fight graphics onto this film and still have gotten the same effect as this soundtrack. A movie about fighting robots from outer space doesn’t need a tasteful score, it practically begs for Linkin Park and Nickelback to play while Lionel Richie and Rick James interject, ‘Ooooh, yeah.’ This manic collection of songs gets the job done with a literal bang - who cares if Cheap Trick sounds like they can barely keep a straight face on their uninspired cover of the Transformers theme?
Standout Track: None
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5. New Moon
If one movie is vastly improved by its soundtrack, it’s this gilded turd. Yes, it’s sparkly, hairless, and blood-sucking, but a steaming pile of excrement nonetheless. That’s why the song choices are not only inspired, but brilliant as they serve to distract from the shirt-blowing-in-the-wind teen idol moments. It’s easy to take a shine to these moody tracks by the darlings of the indie scene – that is, until the horrific realization that all the Team Jacob-shirted Twi-moms will also be singing along to Bon Iver and Lykke Li.
Standout Tracks:
‘Hearing Damage’ by Thom Yorke
‘Roslyn’ by Bon Iver & St. Vincent
- Micheline Rama
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