Twilight (OST), by various artists

There are definitely cases where soundtracks are a lot better than the movies that they come from and that is definitely the case. It is a bit embarrassing to admit, but with a few friends I watched this movie in theaters despite knowing that it would be a cringeworthy experience and it met my expectations and more. It must be admitted, though, that this soundtrack demonstrates that at least someone involved with the Twilight movie deserves a great deal of credit in curating an enjoyable listening experience. If the writing and acting had been even close to the level of the music here, the movie would have been far more of a pleasure and far less of something that one could enjoy only by laughing at it and ridiculing it as was the case. Be that as it may, as a fan of soundtrack pop/alternative, this album really hits the right place for me personally, and likely for a lot of other people as well. Let’s check it out.

This soundtrack begins with Muse’s excellent “Supermassive Black Hole,” a rousing alternative single that was popular on the rock charts. This is followed by “Decode” by Paramore, which is another excellent song and one of their standout tracks overall, an easy song to enjoy about trying to figure someone out. “Full Moon” from The Black Ghosts offers a piece of indie pop that has a beautiful sense of orchestral and vocal harmonies. “Leave Out All The Rest” is a standout track that also appears on Linkin Park’s Minutes To Midnight, providing a rousing piece of alt rock. “Spotlight” from Mutemath provides a powerful and gorgeous song that fits the tone of the soundtrack well. Perry Farrell provides some glam rock with “Go All The Way (Into The Twilight)” that has a guilty pleasure vibe that again, suits this project well. Collective Soul’s “Tremble For My Beloved” is a classic that is likely unfamiliar to many of the people who listened to this soundtrack but still a great tune. Paramore then returns again with “I Caught Myself,” another standout track that is anchored in the themes of uncertainty and self-doubt that fill this album. “Eyes On Fire” by Blues Foundation provides a moody and rather simple indie pop song that is a pleasant album track. “Never Think” shows actor Robert Pattinson as a surprisingly competent acoustic wigwag musician. Iron & Wine have a quirky indie pop track in “Flightless Bird, American Mouth” that fits the laid back vibe of this part of the soundtrack. “Bella’s Lullaby” by Carter Burwell provides a beautiful piece of piano instrumental to the soundtrack. Actor Robert Pattinson then returns with “Let Me Sign” which has a bit of distorted electric guitar to support another pleasant and competent acoustic number. O.A.R. close the soundtrack with “Love Is Worth The Fall,” which is a pleasant indie rock love song that again, fits the mood of the album well.

Overall, given the quality of the movie, the soundtrack is a major achievement. Although the two tracks by actor Robert Pattinson might be considered to be vanity projects as his songs aren’t quite up to the level of the rest of the soundtrack, they still fit into the indie pop/rock and alternative vibe of the soundtrack as a whole and offer some solid strumming even if the voice is a bit weak. The rest of the soundtrack, though, ranges from very good to excellent, and there are some real standout tracks here. If you are as fond of the alternative of the 1990’s and 2000’s as I am, there is a lot here to appreciate ranging from peak Paramore to some excellent Muse, Linkin Park, and Collective Soul, to say nothing about the more obscure but also excellent contributions from the rest of the acts here. You can probably find cheap copies of the soundtrack available or stream it for free online, and it’s well worth the time if this music makes you feel nostalgic even a little bit.