Breaking Dawn Pt 1 Soundtrack – Let’s Discuss

November 8th!

Dear LTT-ers,

So it’s become a bit of a tradition (1, 2) for us to delve into the Twilight soundtrack after they’re announced because well, we love music… and I work in it. What isn’t to like about tearing apart the track listing and artists and see what we can learn about the film from it… aka make wild guesses and assumptions.

At first glance I’m intrigued this is definitely NOT the same vibe as New Moon and Eclipse with it’s “indie” (vom, I hate that word) esque sensibilities and thoughtful inclusions… this is almost more in the vein of the first Twi soundtrack minus the mid 90s vibe of Collective Soul etc. *shudder* I think the thing we need to remember going into this is that music in film is meant to enhance a mood or feeling in a scene and to help tell the story without being a total distraction (and come in under budget).

So we’re back at it again with the Chop Shop crew at the helm with Bill Condon so let’s see what they’ve brought us…

1.  The Joy Formidable – Endtapes
This is one I was excited to see because I’ve been listening to their album The Big Roar for the last year. Though they’re not my end all be all, I’m glad they were included because they’re the type of artist I would expect on a Twilight Sountrack. I’m assuming this will be some type of upbeat scene with driving or running or maybe when Bella gets out of the car at the gas station at the beginning of BD. Ya know, if we’re being literal.

Listen:

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2.  Angus & Julia Stone – Love Will Take You
Lovely little brother and sister duo on Nettwerk another lovely little label. Their music has been on a bunch of  CW shows and Greys Anatomy so this isn’t a big surprise of a pick… but they’re kinda snoozeville to me. They seem like one of those bands that was put together for the sole purpose of inclusion on soundtracks and tv shows: innocuous, girl with a baby voice, sounds nice in the background, easy to clear, that sorta thing. I’m sure they’re nice folks and all but Zzzzzzzzzz. I see this in some sort of chill scene maybe the morning after! Heh heh!
Listen:

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3.  Bruno Mars – It Will Rain
Ok, so I don’t hate it like UC hates it… she says she can’t even listen to it all the way through. It’s not awful… I wouldn’t kick it out of bed but I’m not ready to spoon with it either.

Some thoughts to settle the crowd down a little: All other lead singles (Twi excluded) haven’t even been featured IN the movie, only over the credits. SO if you hate it THAT much you can just run out before the credits roll. It’s probably a move to get more radio play for the soundtrack and in turn more moola. It’s not like Death Cab and Muse were being played 40 times during Ryan Seacrest’s morning show, so who better to choose as the single than the dude who’s basically PRINTING cash based off his publishing on his songwriting and chart topping songs this last year.

If it’s included in an actual scene, this feels like first dance or dance with Jacob material to me. Vulture is calling it Twilight’s version of “Kiss From a Rose,” I’m also feeling Robin Hood’s “Everything I do, I do it for you” or The Three Muskateers “All for Love.” All of these were massive radio hits which goes back to my theory on why this is the single: CASH. Der. Too bad they couldn’t get Bryan Adams, Sting and Rod Stewart to reunite one more time to create the BD song. I know my mom would have been pumped.

Listen to the actual song! Or buy it on itunes

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This is SO long we need a cut! Follow the jump for ALL 15 tracks!

4.  Sleeping At Last – Turning Page
A band (or dude as it turns out) I don’t know much about other than he’s another band that’s been featured on Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice… which is fine and all but ya know. I appreciate that this dude seems to be a true independent who from the looks of it puts out new music every month. Snaps to him. This is one I’m happy to learn about, he sounds lovely.

Listen:

Wanna hear a bunch more from Sleeping At Last? Go to his website and listen and look at the pretty watercolors.

PS If you’re in LA he’ll be playing the Hotel Cafe on Nov 10th.
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5. The Features – From Now On
They’re like how the pre-“Only By The Night” Kings of Leon used to be. That like neo americana 70s rock sound. In fact they’re buddies/tour mates of KOL and on their imprint… so this makes sense since we all know the KOL/Twilight link.

This will be like some motorcycle riding, bar, Jacob running around in Canada, bachelor party type song.

Listen:

One you’ve probs heard
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6.  Christina Perri – A Thousand Years
REALLY?
Hey UC, she’s from Philly! This ones for you.
My favorite line from her Wiki page: “She taught herself how to play guitar as a 16-year-old by watching a videotape of Shannon Hoon from the group Blind Melon performing on VH1.”
LOLZforever. Shannon Hoon.
So they’re definitely going for a Lykke Li/Anya Marina moment with this one. I’m like 98% sure this will be some sad times slow jam.

You probably know this from So You Think You Can Dance
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7.  Theophilus London – Neighbors
My favorite from this last years batch of emails from Atlantic/WMG based on this guys name alone. I mean just say it like 10 times fast. Cause it’s fun. Kinda like his music. Probs a song at the reception that we’ll hear 5 seconds of. But enjoy this guy cause he’s a good time.

Listen:

DUH, I picked this because it talks about rainfall in a humdrum town. Hello, Forks, Washington!

8.  The Belle Brigade – I Didn’t Mean It
Ok, NOW WE’RE TALKING. Welcome to my favorite off this tracklisting and one of my faves of 2011. Buy this now, listen to it, love it, spoon it, whatever, I don’t care it’s that good. Carpenters meets Capt and Tenille meets modern day Fleetwood Mac equals AWESOMEtown. Overlook the total nepotism of this brother/sister duo and just love them with me. Can’t wait to see them at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass this weekend!

Listen:


Wanna cry? Of course you do!

I have no idea where they’ll put this and I can’t wait to see!
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9.  Noisettes – Sister Rosetta (2011 Version)
The title of this song makes me think of Rosetta Stone and then I wonder if Quiluette is available on Rosetta Stone and that’s how Taylor learned it. Quil Clout Lay!!

So apparently this song was on their 2006 album but they’ve reworked it for inclusion on this calling it the 2011 version…
Listen to the 2006 version:

PS she LIT-TRALLY says “queens of twilight” that’s us ladies!
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10. Cider Sky – Northern Lights
Ok, so I know nothing of this band even though apparently they’re from LA, there’s nothing about this band out there other than a Twitter and a Facebook where I am officially the 38th person to “like” them. Yea, THIRTY EIGHT. I’ll be watching for them to play a show local and I’ll let you know…
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11. Iron & Wine – Flightless Bird, American Mouth (Wedding Version)
I mean this is like a DUH for the soundtack since their first dance was to this song at the prom so I’m thinking it will either be their first dance at the wedding or it will be the song she walks down the aisle too. “Wedding Version” meaning they added lots more strings and quiet sobbing from the mothers of the bride and groom added to the background.

Listen:

Sing to me Sam… sing to me…
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12.  Imperial Mammoth – Requiem On Water
2nd band from LA I know nothing of… and that’s saying something. Cue me becoming their 68th “Like” on Facebook (Yes, 68. I sense a pattern here yall) so I can find out more about them or actually see them play live.

BUUUUTT because I have access to google I have found the dude’s webpage wherein we find out he likes apartment buildings and he composes stuff for shows like Make it or Break it, Chloe King and some Horse show, etc etc. So go watch his reel.

Listen:
Go to their website, they have two tracks up
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13.  Aqualung & Lucy Schwartz – Cold
Dude, Aqualung! This makes me think of college and The OC again… and that was many many moons ago, more than I care to recount. Matt Hales aka Aqualung is lovely so I’m glad to see him on here and then there’s Lucy Schwartz whom I guess he plays with on stuff… she creates music which has been featured in a lot of TV Shows: Grey’s and theme song to Parenthood, etc.

Listen:

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14.  Mia Maestro – Llovera
As in Mia Maestro from the film??? As in Mia Maestro who plays Carmen in BD?? So since Rob didn’t do a song Mia Maestro seems like the next obvious pick? I know we’re all thinking WHO THE HALE is Carmen again?? So thanks to the Twi Wiki it reminds us Carmen is from the Denali clan, is with Eleazar, knows a bunch of languages and later speaks up for and becomes good friends with Renesmee. Does anyone remember this stuff?

Google tells me Llovera is a form of the verb Llover in spanish meaning “to rain” and since Carmen is only around during the wedding scene of Part 1 this leads me to believe there will be a super awkward scene of Carmen singing (or playing a badly tuned cello) at the wedding when Bella and Edward are lighting the unity candle and that song is called LLOVERA!

OMG.

You heard it HERE first. This may have just become the best thing ever and what I’m looking forward to most because her singing a song called Llovera means we will like it or it will be SUPER AWESOME in that LTT kind of way (new tshirt design yall!). I kind of can’t wait.

Oh and Gil Birgmingham? You’ve been put on notice… Mia is about to take your place at the TwiCon’s with this song.
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15.  Carter Burwell – Love Death Birth

*Insert 80s guitar solo-esque score music here*

Ok, ok… it’s no secret I’m not Carter Burwell’s biggest fan… but COME ON. As far as score in Twilight films goes Alexandre Desplat is far and away the best one we’ve had… Twilight was MEH to me and Howard Shore phoned it in on the Eclipse score which was a total bummer.

Overall Thoughts –

– Were is Bill Condon’s “voice” in all of this… coming off of two films that seemed to have Directors with their own defined musical tastes (stories about them bringing artists into the editing room, picking the music themselves, etc) this leaves me wondering about how involved Bill Condon was… unless he just loves music from Atlantic/WMG artists… I can imagine David Slade actually listening to the Dead Weather or Chris Weitz being super into Thom Yorke (who isn’t?)  but Bill Condon listening to Angus and Julia? Not so much.

– Robert Pattinson is not on here. PTL and thank you.

– No Muse? Shock, surprise, did Stephenie Meyer cry? Seriously though, I am a bit surprised they’re not on here just based on the fact they’ve been on every other Twi soundtrack, who doesn’t have an extra track lying around to throw on here, who doesn’t like extra money, and Stephenie does site them as her biggest writing muse (heh) for this saga. Maybe they’re just over it.

– I’m grateful for the new artists to discover and excited to learn more about them… though I do feel a bit skeptical of the ones who have like 4 fans and have never played a live show. BUUUUT we shall see.

Can’t wait to hear these songs and see them in the film! Get here November 8th!

Music Nerd Alert!
Themoonisdown

PS Remember the AWESOME/bad comments on last years soundtrack on the ChopShop blog and remember we wrote them a letter? That was gooood times.

SOOOO thoughts… any faves? Anyone you don’t know? What are you looking forward to most off the soundtrack?

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