Rating:  -
Okay, so maybe indie rock isn't really my scene; I'm more metal than anything. That's probably why I didn't really like this CD that much. So then why am I giving it four stars? Well, my rating goes from one to three simply because "Signal Fire" by Snow Patrol is on here. Snow Patrol's cut is by far the best song on the CD; I fell in love with it after hearing it in the pre-movie songs when I went to see The Invisible (and Kickin' It Old Skool, and The Hills Have Eyes 2, and...)- but it didn't matter hearing it all those times cause it's an amazing song. The other star boost comes from the inclusion of the tracks from Wolfmother (of whom I am a relatively big fan) and Jet (whom I really started to like after hearing their song "Hold On", from the Spider-Man 2 soundtrack. The movie was SOOOO much better than the soundtrack and I would have already given it away if it weren't for Snow Patrol, Wolfmother, and Jet. If you're fans of those bands, give it a shot. If not, then you really shouldn't waste your time buying it. One final note, the soundtrack really should have included either the acoustic version or the regular rock version of Breaking Benjamin's "The Diary of Jane"; it would have fit perfectly with the movie themes.
Rating:  -
Ok a got this CD free from a radio station giveaway. I tried to listen to 30 secs of each song but soon i had gotten to the end of the CD. I quickly removed the CD and threw it out of my window. It SUCKS!!! If you're intrested in purchasing this CD don't bother, there is a free one on HWY 17 near Charleston SC!!!!
Rating: -
I don't know who chooses the soundtracks for movies, or how they select appropriate music. Not every film can have a Zach Braff.
But whoever did it for the megablockbuster "Spiderman 3," they have some GREAT taste in music. Rather than scrabbling for some MTV hits, the soundtrack is graced with some genuinely wonderful music -- blazing blurry hard-rockers, lush Britpop, and mellow balladry. It's more a clever rock mixtape than a soundtrack.
It kicks off with Snow Patrol's "Signal Fire," a blend of blazing guitar and lushly swirling instrumentation. The Scotrockers really shine in this one, straddling the line between Britpop and energetic rock'n'roll. "In the confusion and the aftermath/You are my signal fire/The only resolution and the only joy/Is the faint spark of forgiveness in your eyes..."
It's followed up by some hard-rocking stuff -- the Killers have a high-octane "Move Away," the Yeah Yeah Yeahs provide the sizzling "Sealings," and the glorious Wolfmother takes the hard-rock thing even further with the deliciously sludgy "Pleased to Meet You," which is a great introduction to the band.
Then with a epic grimy rocker by the Walkmen (complete with yowling), we segue into some softer material -- Black Mountain provides a beautifully sweeping folksy-rock ballad, Jet's bluesy rocker, Simon Dawes wails that he is "Scared of Myself," Rogue Wave strolls through shimmering indiepop, and Sounds Under Radio turns on the swirling, cycling electric guitars in a soaring ballad.
And with a title like "The Supreme Being Teaches Spider-Man How To Be In Love," it's pretty obvious that the Flaming Lips are involved. Their song is really lovely, with a "Soft Bulletin" softness and beauty.
The soundtrack for the first two "Spiderman" movie had one or two good songs per album (Aerosmith!) by an accomplished band, but most of the songs were by a wretched wad of trendy pop-rockers like Maroon 5, Yellowcard and the Ataris. So I can be forgiven for expecting the worst in the third movie's soundtrack.
Fortunately, I was wrong. The third movie's soundtrack is just crammed with great bands, many of whom are still unknown to the mainstream (Black Mountain, anyone?). There are one or two bumpy patches -- Coconut Records's smug-sounding ballad mellows me into a stupor -- but most of the songs have the feeling of a mix CD you burn for an indie friend, to introduce them to some great music.
And many of the songs fit together well -- many of these songs have cycling, blurry guitars and a slightly grimy sound, and though few of them sound alike, they complement one another. And some of them fit the themes of the music well -- "Signal Fire" and "Scared of Myself" seem like perfect reflections of Peter Parker's feelings in the movie.
The soundtrack for "Spiderman 3" is not only a wonderful soundtrack, but a solid collection of brilliant alternative rock'n'roll. After the awful "Spiderman 2" soundtrack, this is a blessing.
Rating:  -
The various artist superhero soundtracks have been my favorite CD's. The ones that stick out to me are Spider-Man 2, Daredevil, The Punisher, Elektra, and Fantastic 4 (which is miles and miles better than the actual film). Each of these soundtracks feature a lot of really good tracks.
When I buy a soundtrack, I get what sounds good. I don't have any major favorite bands. I never have. And I probably never will. The reason for this is I have ADD when it comes to music. I can't listen to one band with a similar sound for 12 tracks and realize only a couple tracks are any good. The various artist compilations for motion picture soundtracks gives a variety, some bad, but mostly good, and gives a sense of me listening to my own radio with songs I actually like. To expand on that, I only listen to the radio when I'm forced to whilst I work in the morning. I love movie soundtracks. They're all I buy, be they original scores or various artist compilations, but I am finally breaking down and buying some single artist albums. With the various artist compilations comes great risk, though. So far I have been lucky in my selections....
When the soundtrack listing was announced two weeks before its release, I was like, huh? I hadn't heard of the majority of the bands, but like Snow Patrol. I was very leery in buying this, but I have the soundtracks for the first two and figured what the heck? After all, I had the same ignorance with most of the band names on the Underworld soundtrack, took a major chance in buying it, and that turned out great.
In the case of the third Spidey soundtrack, I should have trusted my initial instincts. Upon first listening, this CD is horribly mediocre. Though I must say, I did enjoy some of the other tracks after a second listen-through, and am glad I only spent $5 on this thanks to a gift card. There are some great songs on here, but like all soundtracks, there is some trash. All of the tracks are exclusive to this CD with the movie serving as inspiration to the artists. That is, all but one track is exclusive, I will leave it to you to figure out which one isn't. ;-)
Here's a breakdown of how the songs sound to me and some opinions as to how the artists were inspired:
Track 1: Snow Patrol "Signal Fire"
Hands down, the best track on the CD. Calm at first, then picks up the pace before becoming a light rock sounding song and alternating between both tempos all throughout the track just like most of the songs on their "Eyes Open" album. I love their sound and truly adore the main vocalist's voice. 5 stars
Track 2: The Killers "Move Away"
I have only heard two of their songs before this one, and do like their sound. This song is the second best of the album. Cool lyrics that sound as if the perspective is changing from one person to the other. The line "take your skin off when you listen to me" sounds as if Mary Jane is talking to Peter Parker in regards to his Spidey suit. I also got a sense of him singing parts whilst other lines could be sung by Aunt May telling Peter to say you're sorry. 5 stars
Track 3: Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Sealings"
After the first two stellar opening tracks, this is where the CD goes downhill. It's a slight step down, though. Not as strong as the first two tracks, but an overall good track. It's good until they start yelling at the 2:40 mark The oooo's that follow sound slightly out of sync with the rest of the track. If it wasn't for that middle part, this could have been a bit better. 3.5 stars
Track 4: Wolfmother "Pleased to Meet You"
This is a major step down. Loud, screechy, and whiny, it gave me a headache. Not much to say here. I can't sit through this track. 1 star
Track 5: The Walkmen "Red River"
This track actually sums up my feelings of the movie: I want to love it, but I can't. Has potential, but with many faults that threaten it. The lyrics are interesting, the instrumentals well done, but there are instances where the vocals are just like the previous track. Loud and screechy. But this track does have an overall good sound to it. 3.5 stars
Track 6: Black Mountain "Stay Free"
Another step down. The beginning instrumentals sounded really good, and hinted the song was going to be great. But then these high pitched voices enter and they threw me for a loop. It wasn't the sound I was expecting. Sounds like bad karoake amongst long separated college buddies reunited for their reunion after drinking for half the night. I was able to sit through this one though, unlike Track 4. 2 stars
Track 7: Flaming Lips "The Supreme Being Teaches Spider-Man How to be in Love"
The ridiculously long track name hinted this was going to be a treat. Interesting instrumental sound. The vocals are interestingly echoed, crisp, and clear, which is great, because I usually have difficulty making out words upon the first listening of any song. They incorporate their own version of the Spider-Man theme song whilst talking about Mohammad Ali and Spider-Man duking it out in the ring and the latter learning a valuable lesson. A major step up from the previous 3 tracks. 5 stars.
Track 8: Simon Dawes "Scared of Myself"
This is the breakthrough track on the soundtrack, in my humble opinion. Captures the emotion of Peter Parker consumed by the symbiote and fearing he's losing Mary Jane. Beautiful instrumentals, awesome lyrics, and a very pleasing voice to bring it all together. This track kinda hit home with my own emotions as well. It goes right up there with Megan McCauley's breakthrough tracks from the Elektra and Fantastic Four soundtracks. Spectacular. 5 stars
Track 9: Chubby Checker "The Twist"
This was a surprise and a joy to hear. I figured this would be used in the movie somehow, and sure enough it was. What's not to like about this song? Truly a classic. 5 stars
Track 10: Rogue Wave "Sightlines"
Another really good song. Great instrumentals. The vocalist's voice is almost dreamlike, and a joy to listen to at times. A bit screechy and pitchy, but good overall. 4 stars
Track 11: Coconut Records "Summer Day"
The shortest track on the CD. Probably a good thing. It's an interesting sound with both male and female vocals. Had it been any longer, it would have been too much. Not much to say here, though. Very simple, and very brief, not anything to write home about. 3 stars
Track 12: Jet "Falling Star"
I first heard Jet on the Spider-Man 2 soundtrack. "Hold On" was that album's breakthrough track, and made it into the final cut of that film. This song is really good, and if it weren't for Track 8, this would have been the breakthrough track on this one just as their previous contribution was. It kinda just ends, which is a shame. 4 stars
Track 13: Sounds Under Radio "Portrait of a Summer Thief"
Like Track 5, I want to love it, but I can't. Starts out strong, very good instrumentals, but the high pitched alternation really is a let down. This song would have been better had it been just a tad bit lower at said parts. 3.5 stars
Track 14: The Wasted Youth Orchestra "A Letter from St. Jude"
A bit breathy, but it works. A bit repetitive as well. Does it work? I'm still trying to figure that out. `Til I do, it's average at best. 2.5 stars
Track 15: The Oohlas "Small Parts"
Great lyrics. Good instrumentals. Okay vocals. A bit repetitive, which is really the only complaint here. 3 stars
Overall, this soundtrack is about as good as the first movie's soundtrack. Is it worth it? That all depends on you. After getting the first album on eBay for $3, the second on release day for $9, and this one on release day for $5, I don't feel shortchanged. I would feel different if I'd paid any more for the first and third ones, though.
Overall score: 73% C- which amounts to 2.5 stars.
Rating:  -
I was anticipating the release of the movie into theaters, when it occured to me. What's the sountrack going to be like? Around that time, I found the dirt on the Spider-Man 3 soundtrack. I was floored when the web page opened with an interestingly new sound for things to come. I sampled the songs available (3) in their entirety. The music was very different from what was on the previous soundtracks (spider-man; spider-man 2). Each song from begining to end I found to be very solid and catchy but with very few elements of what was "Inspired" by the movie. It is a soundtrack that if listened to with a opened mind, not open-ended questions about the content, can grow on you with each listening experience. The idea behind each soundtrack from those movies, is to appeal to the youth of their generation. They promote some very promising new bands that they feel wouldn't make it otherwise. But in this case, there is music that the more mature music fans can appreciate and understand. The continuity and the editing are very well done in not only the placement of each track, it maintains a certain eclectic mood throughout.The soundtrack is very "kid friendly" for those of you who are worried about any negative elements in content. It is a little more sophisticated than the previous releases, though at times can be a little bleak in the melody of certain songs. The begining of the soundtrack is a rip roar of musical energy from "Snow Patrol" and "The Killers", to the "Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs" and "Wolfmother". Midway through the soundtrack is a little bittersweet, silly and then melancholy with tracks from "Black Mountain", "The Flaming Lips", and "Simon Dawes". The latter half of the compilation kicks off with "Chubby Checker" in his most famous song "The Twist". Then it becomes eclectic insanity with very intersting tracks from independent bands like "Rogue Wave", "Coconut Records",(Jason Schwartzman and Kirsten Dunst doing vocals), and a well known band like "Jet". Finally, the last three tracks by "Sounds Under Radio"(unsigned), "The Wasted Youth Orchestra"(The WYO's), and the "Oohlas". All of which display a very genuine and distinctly likable array of music. So in closing, I feel that they completed a very difficult endeavour with "amazing" results. Enjoy.
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