Soundtracks are one of those symbiotic organisms that rely heavily on the original medium in order to sell itself. Success and interest are key and without it, you can pretty much guarantee that you’re not selling shit. In this generation, with the hits that the music industry have taken, it’s a surprise that studios still keep releasing soundtracks. With The Hunger Games, however, they do stand a better chance than most at selling a few albums, especially with the lineup present.
With all great works, and especially The Hunger Games, you can tell people are more reserved on viewing what is to many, one of their favorite books (book series) of all time on the big screen. For a music critic, a soundtrack containing some of the greatest names out there today offers up equal reserve. The Hunger Games Soundtrack features tracks from artists such as Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, Maroon 5, The Civil Wars, Taylor Swift, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Punch Brothers, and many others. Granted, if the first track to drop from the soundtrack, Taylor Swift & The Civil Wars “Safe & Sound” was any indication of how the soundtrack was going to be, than, It represented itself pretty well, despite the flaws that it had. For my review of the song, click HERE
There are some really great tracks on this album; Arcade Fire’s track “Abraham’s Daughter” has a very military like drum track, and sounds like it could have been a theme from one of the districts. Neko Case is an artist that, if you’re not listening to her stuff, shoot yourself or be belittled by her on Twitter; her track, “Nothing to Remember” is so surreal, and lucid, that can only replicate what it must be like to be in The Games. The joy of a Decemberists post King is Dead song is a joy in itself, and “One Engine” definitely doesn’t disappoint, and perhaps offers up hope on the horizon for Katniss and fans of the band. “Daughter’s Lament” by Carolina Chocolate Drops is a beautiful track, it’s raw and naked, and speaks of Katniss, bearing her soul.
There are a few missteps on the soundtrack, ones that definitely scratch your head and don’t fit on the soundtrack at all. Kid Cudi’s track, “The Ruler and the Killer” feels like a song that didn’t make the cut on WZRD; if the drum track was meant to feel primal, it doesn’t, and if it isn’t, could really use some cymbals. A guitar should also not be used in a period manner, like some annoying fly that needs swatting; it doesn’t need to be a highlight, but should be there, if only pulled back. The lyrics are boring, and the vocal effects, yeah, skip that track. For Taylor Swift’s second track, “Eyes Open,” not that it’s a terrible song, but just didn’t fit with the tone of the soundtrack. I would like Swift to step away from the love and relationship themes once and a while, and get a little dark (darker than say “Picture to Burn”), making her a little more prepared for a project like this. Taken from an even darker perspective, this song would have had a little more going on for it. Instead this song, is more about “big brothers” eyes on you, giving her inspiration and making her perform. She could have done a lot more with that track, perhaps channeling a 1984 feel (Big Brother adjacent) to bring it to a more effective level. What worked for “Safe & Sound” was more the melody, this song feels too peppy for the atmosphere that it keeps company in, as well as the tone of the book/film. Sad thing is, despite that, I somehow feel bad for bashing the track a bit. As a fan of Swifts music, that track just didn’t do it for me.
This soundtrack certainly has more triumphs than tragedies; the majority of the artists captured the tone of the books and film in wonderful fashion. Even in it’s failures, there is always something to grasp at, to remind you of where this came from and what inspired it. If the film is remotely as good as the soundtrack, then they’ve got a winner here.
Album Rating: Buy It on CD or Vinyl
Listening Co-efficient: Passive Listen
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Despite the fact that this wouldn’t fit on the soundtrack, and the legal shit storm that would come from it, this song is fracking hilarious.
HELLIONS TEAM 
your review is biased in you dislike of Swift. It seems the problem lies with you and not her, in your interpretation of the songs she has on this album, as neither song has anything to do with romantic love or softness, but have everything to do with the darkness coming in the form of death and warfare, and the Eyes Only track has to do with Katniss need to keep aware and alert in her dealings with the Capital as well as her struggle on the battlefield.
I’d give this review 2 stars for lack of imagination and lack of understanding, and inability to look past personal prejudice in anaysis of the songs. The movie creators have stated they chose Safe and Sound as the promotional track because the unanimous consensus was that it depicted everything about the book and that is borne out by comments on every hunger games forum you can find; the comments overwhelmingly indicate that the book’s readers considered it could show every relationship in the book or movie, from Rue to peeta to gale to Prim.
Thank you for your the comment, but may I point out that I don’t have a bias for Taylor Swift. In my review of the track “Safe & Sound,” my main issue with it was that Taylor Swift, at points, couldn’t get to the vocal registers of Joy Williams or John Paul White, making her vocals a bit rough. Now when you want to represent yourself, especially on a soundtrack to a film (note, that the soundtrack industry isn’t one that sells a lot of records, especially in this generation), you’re going to pick 1. the most commercially appealing track to garner that attention, “Safe & Sound” had that, not because of the music really, but because it had Taylor Swift on the track. 2. Despite the fact that other great groups are on this soundtrack (I’m not a Maroon 5 fan, but that song was great, and they have commercial appeal as well), it’s a popularity contest. Are you going to go with someone like Carolina Chocolate Drops, a band you probably haven’t heard of, who are a kick ass band to deliver the theme to the movie, especially with a song like “Daughters Lament”? No, because they’re less well know, as are many of the artists on that soundtrack.
The track “Eyes Open” didn’t capture the essence of the book/film for me; in truth, the melody for “Safe & Sound” captured that darkness a little more. Taylor Swift once said in an interview that she writes about love because it’s something she doesn’t understand, therefore this is new territory for her, because a lot of her songs are about love and relationships. Do I have a problem with that? No, because she is a really talented songwriter, noted by the fact that I have all her CD’s (I mean, not everybody owns the Platinum and International versions of ‘Fearless’ but I actually do, along with the “Beautiful Eyes” EP.).
Finally, a review, like any review you read is someone’s opinion, similar to your review, it’s an opinion. Your interpretation of my “bias” has made you bias in your review toward the rest of the songs, because you just predicated my review on the two Taylor Swift songs on the soundtrack. If you want to find bias, then you will find bias, and what you found was what you found. Thank you again for your comment.