It's a sad goodbye from "The Twilight Saga," which sees its last installment, "Breaking Dawn — Part 2," hit the big screen this week. The soundtrack reflects a chocked up melancholia that lingers over the sound like dust over old boxes of family photos.
This final film steps away from the romantic dilemmas of previous outings into a tense confrontation between vampire factions. Yet the album is more focused on delivering a soulful sound that is neither too arcane, nor too mainstream. It's just quirky enough to be embraced by the hordes of teenagers who've grown up alongside Bella and Edward.
Nikki Reed, who plays Rosalie Hale in the film, makes an appearance on the instrument-stripped piano ballad "All I've Ever Needed," alongside her husband and former "American Idol" contestant Paul McDonald. Green Day, the biggest act on the soundtrack, is bland on "Forgotten."
And the rest of the songs alternate between diaphanous guitars like POP ETC's "Speak Up" or dreamy tunes like Feist's "Fire in the Water" and James Vincent McMorrow's "Ghosts." There's also haunting strings, like on "New for You" by Reeve Carney, best known for playing the lead in Broadway's "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark."
It's all a bit wailing, like a highly enjoyable mourning parade that performs at its own death.
CHECK OUT THIS TRACK: Ellie Goulding gives the album a touch of playfulness with her energetic "Bittersweet."
Various Artists, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" (Summit Entertainment/Chop Shop/Atlantic Records)
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