Baz Luhrmann's different artistic take on The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio won over audiences this past weekend, debuting at number two with over $50 million in ticket sales. While the film itself may be a visual treat, it was the soundtrack, featuring artists such as Fergie, Beyoncé, Jack White and Lana Del Rey, that really had people talking.
Music makes or breaks a movie, and I think it is safe to say that this collection of tracks only helped the film succeed. While Beyonce and Andre 3000 tackled Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black", Lana Del Rey proved to be a hit with her original track and album's lead single, "Young & Beautiful", becoming her biggest success on the Billboard Hot 100 to date. Other artists to make an appearance on the soundtrack are Gotye, The xx and Sia, all who bring a unique vision to a compelling and Oscar-worthy track. The album debuted at number two and proves to be golden.
The 14-track album, filled with covers and original material, has Jay-Z serving as executive producer as he tries to fuse the Jazz age found in the novel with modern dance, hip-hop and pop. While many of the songs soar the highest they can, others hold the project back from achieving the path of perfection it was on.
Serving as the soundtrack's lead single, "Young and Beautiful" performed by Lana Del Rey embodies the emotions the lead female act in the film would be experiencing. Supported by a simple orchestra, Del Rey's vocal performance proves to be a haunting moment just like on every song she has released since bursting onto the scene with "Video Games". Currently climbing the Billboard Hot 100, it is set to become her first true hit. Much deserved.
Black Eyed Peas member Fergie has been rumored to start recording her second solo album and "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody" featuring Q-Tip and Goonrock, is a little taste of what we can hope to expect from the artist. The track features a unique combination of old jazz and dance. It may have sounded awkward on paper, but Fergie really brings the energy. Listeners can't help but dance to the beat as the artist shouts, "See the people get live, underneath the moonlight".
Some female artists, Florence + the Machine and Sia, contribute heartbreaking ballads for the soundtrack. While Florence's "Over the Love" may be one of the effort's brightest moments, a song that deserves an Oscar right now for its beautiful lyrics and vocals, Sia's "Kill and Run" is a darker offering describing the state of love found in the movie. Both women give the songs everything that they have, proving to be commendable performances and album highlights.
The album has its high, but also its low. The full-fledged hip-hop moments, such as "Bang Bang" and "100$ Bill", by will.i.am and Jay-Z, throw off the theme the album was trying to achieve. They seem out of place from the touching slower ballads and high-energy dance tracks. Would hip-hop really have had a presence in the time of The Great Gatsby? I don't really think so.
Beyoncé and Andre 3000 teamed up for a much talked-about cover of Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black". While the song is not a homerun, stick with Winehouse's version, it is a fresh take on the depressing single. With the first listen, I could not appreciate what was being done, but after a few hits of the play button, my admiration is slightly growing. Not amazing, but not terrible.
Other tracks such as The xx's "Together" and Emeli Sande's cover of "Crazy In Love" are both great listens in their own right, while Gotye and Jack White's contributions get pushed into the middle of the track list, not making much of a impact, but still featuring aspects worth praise.
The soundtrack is a fun, interesting listen. Fans of the movie will certainly purchase this collection of tracks after hearing them in context with the scenes playing out on the screen. Jazz seems to mix well with dance and pop and brings older instrumentals to the modern century. Lana Del Rey, Florence and Fergie certainly bring their A game, while others seem to be taking it easy by not pulling their own weight. The good news is that there are more good, high-quality moments found on the album than bad. Numerous artists gives breathtaking performances, making the soundtrack a real success. It receives an 87%.
Tracks to Hear: "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody", "Young and Beautiful", "Over the Love" and
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