THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2013)

Touted to be the next Twllight film series (read: countless cash cow movie installments that will send teenage girls into a state of frenzy), this adaptation of The Mortal Instruments series by author Cassandra Clare has to boast of a soundtrack compilation lining up music that will hopefully, well, send teenage girls a state of frenzy.

Kicking off the 42 minute album is a techno track that may not go down well with the older folks. Russian German DJ Zedd’s “Into the Lair” is a heart pounding dance floor friendly cue that goes on for a good two minutes. More soothing is “Almost is Never Enough (soundtrack version)”, a radio friendly romantic ballad performed by Ariana Grande and Nathan Skyes of The Wanted.  

Elsewhere, Demi Lovato (from Disney’s TV movie Camp Rock) croons the emotional “Heart by Heart”, and Colbie Caillat brings you the breezy “When the Darkness Comes”. “All About Us” performed by indie group He is We featuring Owl City is another tune that is included to please the lowest common denominator.

The party goers will enjoy tracks like “Strangers (featuring Tove Lo) by Seven Lions, Myon and Shane 4, and “Calling from Above (edit)” by freeform electronic music producer and DJ Bassnectar. The CD concludes with the strangely hypnotising “Strange Days” by Bryan Ellis.

Showbiz, despite its glitz and glamour, is a realistic and cruel industry. Because of a not so successful box office run for the movie directed by Harald Zwart, the production of the series’ second installment “City of Ashes” has been postponed indefinitely. Does that mean there won’t be another movie studio which will attempt to repeat the commercial success of the Twilight series? We can but await the next soundtrack compilation containing the latest radio friendly hits to be released in stores.  

ALBUM RATING:

Recommended Track: : (2) Almost is Never Enough (soundtrack version) – Ariana Grande and Nathan Skyes of The Wanted

Review by John Li