1 |
Setting Forth |
2 |
No
Ceiling |
3 |
Far Behind |
4 |
Rise |
5 |
Long
Nights |
6 |
Tuolumne |
| 7 |
Hard
Sun |
8 |
The
Wolf |
9 |
End
of the Road L |
10 |
Society |
11 |
Guaranteed |
ALBUM REVIEW:
The moment we played this soundtrack, we recognize that voice,
that melancholically engaging voice which we haven’t
been able to get out of our heads since we heard it in “Man
of the Hour”, the end credits song of Tim Burton’s
Big Fish (2001). The forlorn but appealing voice belongs to
Eddie Vedder, lead vocalist of American alternative rock band
Pearl Jam. The Illinois-born singer contributes music for
Sean Penn’s latest film based on Jon Krakauer’s
book of the same name.
In this
33-minute album, you’ll hear nine original and two cover
songs written and performed by the talented musician. Kicking
off the disc is idealistic “Setting Forth”, which
marks the beginning of the journey the protagonist in the
film takes. The songs that follow resemble the expedition
of self-realization and self-discovery taken by the character
played by Emile Hirsch in the movie.
Running
at a duration of two-odd minutes each, tracks like “Far
Behind” and “Long Nights” play out like
a traveler’s diary, with lyrics like “Empty pockets
will allow a greater sense of wealth/Why contain yourself
like any other book on the shelf?” and “I’ll
take this soul that’s inside me now/Like a brand new
friend I’ll forever know”. We simply love enlightening
statements like these.
The catchy
“Hard Sun” and “Society” are the two
tracks not written by Vedder, and are incidentally the two
most radio-friendly songs on the album.
The gem
of this disc is “Guaranteed”, which concludes
the soundtrack on a soulful note: “Leave it to me as
I find a way to be/Consider me a satellite forever orbiting/I
knew all the rules but the rules did not know me/Guaranteed”.
After the vocal version, there is a hidden track where you’ll
hear an acoustic guitar version accompanied by Vedder’s
mesmerizing humming in the background. Together with the film’s
heartrending underscore, this song has been nominated for
“Best Original Song” at the upcoming Golden Globes.
For
those who are going on a road trip to discover a new aspect
of life, this moving soundtrack is your perfect companion.
For all others, listen to this affecting album for an insight
to a finer appreciation of life.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: (11) Guaranteed
Review
by John Li
|
