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Review: ‘Sucker Punch’ Soundtrack
Sucker Punch Soundtrack
Released: March 22nd, 2011
Label: WaterTower Music
Purchase: iTunes | Amazon
The Sucker Punch soundtrack was released about a month ago and has generated a large amount of buzz — and has brought itself to last week’s #1 spot on Billboard’s Soundtracks chart. It doesn’t surprise me that it climbed its way there in such a short amount of time; it is genius in the fact that the soundtrack is comprised of uniquely revamped classic covers. It is true that any artist can cover a song and put some of their own flavor into it, but the cover soundtrack made for Sucker Punch is filled with amazing new renditions of songs like, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This),” by Eurythmics and “Tomorrow Never Knows,” by The Beatles.
The soundtrack opens with film-star Emily Browning and her lullaby version of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)”. Right away, I was immediately impressed with her vocal talent. How many times do you find that you have the main character of a film featured in various songs on the film’s soundtrack that can actually sing them well?
Then comes, “Army of Me (Sucker Punch Remix),” with Björk featuring Skunk Anansie, remade from her 1995 hit single off the album Post that seems to be mellow throughout but ends in shrills, heavy guitar and drums.
“White Rabbit,” covered by Emiliana Torrini, seems to describe being in a surreal universe similar to the plot of Alice In Wonderland; it’s no coincidence that critics describe Sucker Punch as similar to “Alice In Wonderland, but with machine guns.”
The fourth track is one of my favorites — a high-intensity mash-up of “I Want It All”/”We Will Rock You”, featuring the rock music staple Queen with Armageddon Aka Geddy. It is a great balance of hip-hop and rock that anyone could enjoy dancing to.
“Search and Destroy” brings back Skunk Anansie in this solo track with sweet guitar riffs and more of a late ‘80s, early ‘90s punk rock feel.
One of the more noted tracks comes next — a cover of The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows,” by Alison Mosshard and Carla Azar, that sort of reminds me of “Army of Me”. This is because both tracks clock in at almost seven minutes long and have a more melodic, relaxing feel, but the tracks contrast because of the ending. Five minutes into “Tomorrow Never Knows”, the piano chimes in and then the break-down begins with heavy synths and drums.
Next, my personal favorite track of the album sweeps through. “Where Is My Mind?” by Yoav featuring Emily Browning begins the first verse and chorus with Yoav’s soft voice and then chimes with Browning for the second verse. For the second chorus, they harmonize together to produce a beautiful version of Eurythmics’ hit, and just when you think the track is over, everything speeds up to surprise the listener again; one thing this soundtrack does well.
Track eight, “Asleep,” is again performed by Browning; “Asleep” is another ‘lullaby,’ similar in style to her rendition of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”. Ballads are her strength because of her calming voice and she nails this track for sure.
The soundtrack closes with “Love Is the Drug” by Carla Gugino and Oscar Isaac, originally by Roxy Music, bringing a sexy vibe to Sucker Punch. Isaac throws soul into the track like it’s no task and Gugino reinforces that this is no ordinary cover.
8.0
Standout Tracks: “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” by Emily Browning, “I Want It All”/”We Will Rock You” Mash-Up by Queen with Armageddon Aka Geddy and “Where Is My Mind?” by Yoav featuring Emily Browning
Lost In The Sound Sessions: Hailey, It Happens – “Brighter”
Chris Cleary and Bobby DiBari, the duo behind eletropop band Hailey, It Happens, performed their single “Brighter” acoustically in our newest Lost In The Sound Session. Their album Aurora (read our review here) was released independently on April 5, 2011 and was mixed by Paul Levitt (The Dangerous Summer, All Time Low). You can stream the entire album over at the band’s Purevolume page.
Coachella 2011: Arcade Fire – “Wake Up”
Arcade Fire‘s Saturday night set at Coachella was widely appreciated by fans, with the Canadian indie-rock band returning to the stage that helped launch them into the limelight way back in 2005. As they closed their main set with “Wake Up”, hundreds of giant, glowing beach balls floated down on the crowd from above the stage, changing colors from blue to red to green.
Check out the performance and the band’s setlist below.
Setlist:
Month of May
Rebellion (Lies)
No Cars Go
Haïti
City With No Children
The Suburbs
The Suburbs (Continued)
Crown of Love
Rococo
Intervention
Neighborhood #2 (Laika)
We Used to Wait
Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
Keep the Car Running
Wake Up
Encore:
Ready to Start
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
Coachella 2011: Tyler, the Creator Joins Lil B Onstage
During Lil B‘s Coachella set, OFWGKTA leader Tyler, the Creator joined the Based God on stage, performing the song “Pretty Bitch”. Afterwards, the rest of the Odd Future gang, who performed their set on Friday, joined Lil B on stage as well, while Tyler stage dove.
Check out the fan-shot footage of “Pretty Bitch” after the break.
Arcade Fire Announce Deluxe Version of The Suburbs With Two New Songs
BBC Radio 1 revealed earlier today that Arcade Fire will be releasing a new deluxe edition of The Suburbs, the band’s Grammy Award-winning album, on June 27. The album’s re-release will feature two unreleased songs from The Suburbs studio sessions (“Speaking in Tongues” and “Culture War”), a DVD of the Spike-Jonze directed film Scenes From The Suburbs, and a making-of documentary. According to BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe, the songs will premiere on BBC Radio on May 23rd.
XV Releases New Mixtape ‘Zero Heroes’
You can check out the tracklist below. The Warner Bros. signee is scheduled to release his label debut, The Kid With The Green Backpack, sometime this year.
Tracklist:
01. Wichita [Prod. By Just Blaze]
02. Heroes Eventually Die (Interlude)
03. When We’re Done [Prod. By Seven]
04. Smallville [Prod. By J. Cole]
05. That’s Just Me [Prod. By Swiff D]
06. Awesome (feat. Pusha T) [Prod. By Seven]
07. Pictures On My Wall [Prod. By Seven]
08. Textbook Stuff (feat. Kendrick Lamar) [Prod. By Seven]
09. All For Me (feat. CyHi Da Prynce, Vado & Erin Christine) [Prod. By Omen & Audio BLK]
10. U.F.C. (feat. Kristina Rose) [Prod. By Seven]
11. Foreign Exchange Student [Prod. By Miami Horror]
12. Swervin’ [Prod. By Seven]
13. Best Days Of Lives (feat. Donnis) [Prod. By The Awesome Sound]
14. Ending Credits (Interlude)
15. The Last Hero (feat. Patrick Stump) [Prod. By Seven]
Free State Radio Live Album; Chad Announces Solo Record
Boston indie rock band State Radio just completed their State Of Troy Tour and as a thank you to fans, are giving away a new live album. The live recording is from the band’s performance at the Boston Pavilion. You can download the seventeen-track live album for free here.
The band also announced that frontman Chadwick Stokes (also widely known for his time with Dispatch) will be releasing a solo record later this year. Details have yet to be revealed.
Radiohead Denies King of Limbs, Part 2
Radiohead are a band known for their antics, surprising fans earlier this year with the release of eighth studio album The King of Limbs. Almost as soon as the album was released, rumors began to spread indicating that perhaps the album was not finished and that the band would be releasing a second album.
Two months of silence later, Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien confirmed to BBC 6 Music that the rumors are untrue and no King of Limbs, Part 2 will be released. The band, however, will still be releasing two previously unreleased songs (“The Butcher” and “Supercollider”) on Record Store Day (April 16th). Ed O’Brien stated to BBC, “’The Butcher’ is from the King Of Limbs sessions. ‘Supercollider’ was recorded during that period and finished off after the album came out”.
He added, “There are [other] songs that we have started, that we never finished, but there’s not like seven or eight finished songs waiting in the wings to be released now, or in the autumn, or something. When we start a new record, we tend to start afresh. It’s kind of an evolutionary thing – only the fittest survive.”
New Arctic Monkeys Music Video
Just three days after releasing their new single, “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your chair”, British indie-rock band Arctic Monkeys have released the song’s music video, where the Sheffield natives act like rock stars and swag their stuff out on some trippy film. The bands new album, Suck It and See, will be released June 6th on Domino Records. You can buy the single now on iTunes. Watch the video in the link above or check it out below.
Has Complex Found Earl Sweatshirt?
Complex Magazine believes they have located the long lost OFWGKTA member Earl Sweatshirt at an academy in Samoa. Earl, arguably one of the best rappers in the Los Angeles rap group, was reportedly sent there by his mother because “she didn’t like his ‘disrespectful’ music”. You can download Earl Sweatshirt’s debut album, EARL, for free on the group’s Tumblr. Free Earl!
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