Eclipse Soundtrack Announced: A Deeper Look

After months of torture we were finally given the entire track list for the Eclipse Soundtrack.  Granted Myspace took their sweet ass time to give it to us, and after waiting half a day for the full track list I must admit that I feel it was completely worth it.

When the New Moon Soundtrack was announced I was pleasantly surprised to see that Summit had gone the extra mile to provide a soundtrack packed with previously unreleased works.  It appears that Summit and Chop Shop Records have come through again to provide yet another collection of previously unreleased tracks and again have opted for less mainstream acts to grace the album.  In the style of last years post I thought I would again give our readers an insight into some of the artists as both a music enthusiast and a Twilight fan.

Metric

Canadian Indie-Rock outfit Metric is probably most known for it’s radio-friendly 2009 release “Help I’m Alive”.  Female lead vocals, alt-guitar licks and a strong synthesized underbelly mixed with a pop aesthetic gives this band the perfect sound for a soundtrack like Eclipse.  Metric’s music keeps an upbeat tempo regardless of the subject matter or theme of the song which is sure to bring a stronger pulse to the third installment in the Twilight Saga soundtrack’s.  This will also band’s second interaction with vampire’s, since the song “Help I’m Alive” was featured on an episode of The Vampire Diaries last year.

Muse

What can I say about Muse? I love the band and they are a staple of the Twilight universe, Neutron Star Collision (Love is Forever) is their third contribution to the Twilight Soundtrack’s and I would be amazed if we don’t see them return for a fourth track on Breaking Dawn.

The Bravery

Ironically enough I made a crack in my New Moon synopsis about how Sea Wolf sounded like a combination of The Bravery meets Muse with a dash of Coldplay and interestingly enough the Eclipse Soundtrack brings us The Bravery. If you’re unfamiliar with The Bravery that’s probably because radio hasn’t been very kind to the band since their 2005 self titled release.  Most known for their radio hit “Honest Mistake”, The Bravery mixes synth-pop and darkwave to create their unique alternative sound.  Their 2009 release Stir the Blood was considerably darker than their previous efforts and my hope is that the theme will continue in their Eclipse Soundtrack contribution titled “Ours”

Florence + The Machine

Florence + The Machine was one of the handful of artists that were included in the rumors about artists contributing tracks to the soundtrack, but aside from Muse they are the only band who actually made it on the album.  One of my favorite songs by this artist is “Cosmic Love” and I really hope that the band can put something equally brilliant together for the Eclipse Soundtrack.  Mixing musical foundations that remind me of Kate Bush and the emotional lyrics and crooning vocals of lead singer Florence Welch I think Florence + The Machine will bring a dynamic to the Eclipse Soundtrack very similar to Lykke Li’s “Possibility” from the New Moon Soundtrack.

Sia

I’m a long time fan of Sia, so my opinion on this one may be a bit biased, but again I think this is a solid contribution to the soundtrack. The Australian-born folk singer is probably best known for her 1994 song “Breathe Me”, which if you haven’t heard you should go listen to it. It’s one of my favorites.  Most recently Sia released her cover of “Under The Mily Way” by The Church, which was featured in recent Lincoln-Mercury ads.  My only real concern with Sia’s involvement on this record is that her upcoming release, which is due out June 22, is unlike any of her past work and is much more poppy than the folk-driven tunes of her past.  My hope is that she sticks to what her fans have come to love for the Eclipse Soundtrack.

Fanfarlo

Prior to the Eclipse Soundtrack being announced I have never heard of this group.  After listening to the bands 2009 release “Resevoir” I was quickly reminded of bands like Belle and Sebastian and even a stripped down version of Interpol.  But after further digging I came across a YouTube video of what is allegedly the song which is being featured on the Eclipse Soundtrack:

The Black Keys

Listening to The Black Keys takes me back to the days when I would sit and listen to my dad’s old record collection.  Built on a classic rock formula their music is simple, but good.  Letting the music and lyrics do the talking without the overproduction and overdubbed electronic additives we have come to find in today’s popular music. I will be interested in seeing how they tied this band into a soundtrack.

The Dead Weather

Another Jack White supergroup, The Dead Weather really doesn’t bring anything new to the Jack White collection that hasn’t already been done with The White Stripes and The Racontours.  We’re sure to be treated with a wealth of guitar riffs and some distorted vocals.  In the end I think The Dead Weather will bring the edge to this album that is probably going to drive either some of the fight scenes or the introduction of some of the big bad newborn vamps.

Beck and Bat For Lashes

Perhaps the weirdest combination of artists I have seen since David Bowie and Bing Crosby, this is still a pairing I can’t completely wrap my head around.  Beck has been reinventing his art ever since he hit the scene with 1994′s Mellow Gold from alt-rock, to blues, to folk, to jazz and even influences of rap and funk you are never quite sure what to expect from the work of Beck.  Bat For Lashes on the other hand have grown to be known for the haunting of vocals Natasha Khan, and the dark moody music that accompanies her. With remnants of artists like Tori Amos, Bjork, and Kate Bush Bat for Lashes could bring a very dark and ethereal addition to the Eclipse Soundtrack, however with the introduction of Beck into the mix it has the potential to go just about anywhere.

Vampire Weekend

Clever lyrics and a variety of influences have made Vampire Weekend a favorite among many music publications.  However as an artists who’s stylings are so far from the norm I am curious to see how they fit into this overall collection of music.  Tracks are normally upbeat and feature a non traditional song structure that is peppered with influences from New Wave, Reggae, and a variety of other genres.

UNKLE

Another artist I was unfamiliar with prior to the soundtrack’s announcement, UNKLE is rooted in trip-hop and rock and has had their most recent released compared to the stylings of Muse among other Brit-rockers.

Eastern Conference Champions

Eastern Conference Champions offer a wide range of musical experiences for their listeners.  In one hand they can provide a hard pop-punk feel to their music and in the other hand they can strip it down and belt out a song remnant of acts like Death Cab For Cutie.  The fact that their contribution to the Eclipse Soundtrack is titled “A Million Miles An Hour” I am left to think we are going to get some of the faster pop-punk inspired tunes that graced their 2007 release Ameritown.

Band of Horses

Another of my favorites, Band of Horses, is an indie-rock band that layers their music in amazing melodies driven by reverberated guitar and pristine vocals.  Another band that can provide a range of both hard hitting indie tunes and then slow it down to shoegazer pop, I am really interested in seeing what this band is offering the soundtrack.  I would love to see a contribution similar to 2007′s “No One’s Gonna Love You”.

Cee-Lo Green

The, “WTF” track off the whole album is contributed by Cee-Lo Green.  Another artists I was unfamiliar with, but who’s name screamed rap.  Upon further investigation I was correct in my assumptions.  His most recent work seems to be a contribution to the Kung Fu Panda soundtrack where he did a cover of the song “Kung Fu Fighting”.  My only hope hear is that there is some sort of parody involved and we get “Vampire Fighting” or something corny like that, because the introduction of a hip-hop outfit the the Twilight Universe just doesn’t feel kosher to me.