Album Review: Various Artist - Forever: Love Songs From The Twilight Saga (2008 - 2012, 2014)

Posted by Retrokaiser On Sunday, May 18, 2014 0 comments


Ladies and Lizardmen welcome to the fifth edition of "Kaiser Records: Written Edition" and on this installment I'll be reviewing a movie soundtrack. What kind of movie soundtrack dare you ask? A movie soundtrack that consists of all the best romantic tracks from the "Twilight" film series (AKA the "Twilight Saga" ). There are a lot of tracks on this one (thirty-four to be exact) and I'll be going over them song-by-song. So sit back as it's going to be a long one. (Click "Read More" to read the full review and to critique my manhood for reviewing this in the comment section).



Track 1: Carter Burwell - Bella's Lullaby

The first song on the album is an instrumental track that was originally composed for the series. This song is made up of piano and a light symphony and it doesn't sound half bad at all. The piano was very beautiful sounding and had a nice melody throughout the whole song. The symphony was used to help compliment the piano and it worked well blending in very fine.

The downside to this song is that there isn't much going on with it and while it does sound nice it can be fairly easy to forget. Even though this is on an album that's supposed to be the best of the "romantic" sounding songs I wasn't getting a romantic vibe on this one but rather a creepy death scene vibe instead.

Overall there really isn't much that I can say about this tune other than it sounded nice. I was surprised though as I wasn't expecting any music from the original compositions made for this movie series and it was very nice to see that they did add some on this soundtrack. Not a bad way to start off an album.


Track 2: Christina Perri - A Thousand Years

The first licensed song on this album is a ballad styled pop-rock song. I'm quite mixed on this song for several reasons with one of them being with the instruments. The instruments in the song include guitar, piano and an symphony playing during the chorus and the sound did get a bit much as it was very overproduced. It wasn't all bad as I did enjoy some of the instruments but during the parts that are a bit more simple with one instrument playing as it can get quite crowded. I was also mixed on the vocals as it can get very cheesy and cringe worthy but it was alright in some parts and I did enjoy the harmonies in this song.

Unlike the last song this song actually does capture the romantic vibe this album is looking for. A huge problem with this song is that it does feel a bit long and it does feel like that this song goes on for a thousand years and you will get bored. Overall the bad outweighs the good in this song with overproduced crowded sounds and gets way to boring from the middle onwards. This track is skippable.


Track 3: Death Cab For Cutie - Meet Me On The Equinox

This track here was the first track that I was looking forward to hear on this album.  This song is done in an indie-rock mixed with gothic rock style and it was alright.  The instruments on this track sounded okay but it can get very generic sounding although it does end before it reaches the point of being boring.  They do change the song a little bit when they reach the second half with an decent sounding solo.  I liked the sound of the vocals with this one as it had a dark sound that reminded me of the vocalist from "Placebo".

Some things I didn't like about the song was that the instruments were very repetitive and would've been nice to hear some variety in sound.  I also found the sudden ending of this track to be a little weird as it didn't really work in this case.  Overall I was a bit disappointed with this song as it feels more like a B-side tune rather than a album worthy track although that can be said about a lot of other movie soundtracks.  I'd give this song one listen but after that you can skip it on the next time you listen to this album.

Track 4: Alexandre Desplat - New Moon (The Meadow)

This track is the second of the original compositions found on this album and can easily be described in two words: "Piano solo".  I actually really dug this track as it was composed very well with some beautiful playing.  The only instrument you will hear on this song is piano and it worked really well with no other instruments getting in the way.  This track is also catchy and will linger around in your mind for a little bit.  Overall this track was worth a listen and is one of the better songs on the album.

Track 5: Iron and Wine - Flightless Bird, American Mouth (Wedding Version)

Up next we have a remix that was done exclusively for the Twilight movie series and I was very interested in giving this song a listen as I actually enjoy the original version of this song. This version of the song however I did not enjoy. My biggest problem with the song is that this remix took all the charm out of the original and turns it into a soulless mess that is darn near unlistenable.

All the original instrument tracks (minus vocals) have all been replaced with a piano and a light symphony that sounds like it comes from an old Jazz Bar where "Bing Crosby" might play at. I did enjoy the song for the first thirty seconds where it was just vocals and piano but when all the other instruments kicked in it didn't blend together very well. The drums in this song sounded a bit cheesy and it also feels very forced which added even more to the cheesy sound. The symphony in this song did have some potential and could've sounded nice in this song but the reason why it doesn't work is due to my biggest problem with the song and that reason is that this song is horribly mixed to where the instruments drown each other out and ends up sounding like white noise. Vocals on this song are just the same as the original version and they sound good and strong with the singer putting in a lot of heart into his performance.

Overall I was very disappointed with this track and if it had better mixing then this could've been a very decent remix. I say you should all just stick to the original version of the song. This track can be skipped.


Track 6: Sia - My Love

This is one of those tracks on the album that I was not looking forward to as I can't really stand Sia but alas I mustn't be bias as I am a professional after all (stop laughing).  It was I good thing that I turned off my bias module as this was surprisingly a pretty decent song.  The instruments in this song has a very smooth vibe that comes close to being jazzy with some nice piano playing.  The piano is nothing more but to complement the vocals as this is the kind of song where the vocals are designed to shine.  The vocal performance in this song was pretty song and she did well in making the song entertaining.

One downside is that the song was mixed to where the vocals were way too loud and some of the stronger notes in both vocals and instruments did hurt my ears and this happened even with the music player turned down.  A good thing I can say about the producing... Or the mixing in this case was that it was mixed well with the vocals and instruments are on even ground but it's such a pity that mixed them both to be too loud though.  Overall this was a good track but listen with the audio down to avoid your ears being uncomfortable.

Track 7: Band of Horses - Life On Earth

Yep we are up to another song from another band that I was looking forward to.  What can I say about this song?  It's a very country/southern rock styled song with very good sounding instrumentals.  I really enjoyed the instruments in this one as they were very well played and also quite relaxing to where I was feeling quite good.  The instruments even have a nice variety of sounds through out the song which was nice to hear.

However this song has one really big problem and that is that the lyrics and vocals are both very lazy to the point where it ruined my experience with the song.  All the lyrics in this song are: "La-la-la-la-life on Earth is changing" and it was sung in a very boring matter too which is a shame because I like this band.  If this were an instrumental then this song would've been so much better.  Overall if you are going to listen to this song then go out and listen to the instrumental version as this version is tainted.

Track 8: Angus & Julia Stone - Love Will Take You

From going from another band that I was looking to hearing to another band that I'm not looking forward to at all but again I am not going to be bias as this could surprise me like the last track I wasn't looking forward to did.  This track opens up with a very lovely sounding folk rock intro and some very nice harmonic vocals.  Sadly the intro of this song is all I liked as this song got boring pretty quickly.  Why you ask?  Because nothing else happens in the song as it's the same beat, rhythm, sound all though out the song.  This song is only five minutes long but it feels like it lasts a few minutes more.  One thing I can give them credit on is that the lyrics were very nice and heartfelt.  Overall this song could've been more entertaining and it actually would've been a really great song if it were but in this end this is another track you can skip.

Track 9: Blue Foundation - Eyes on Fire

The intro to this song has a very dark and mysterious sound which perked my interest up as it felt like it was building up to something big.  Did the build up pay off?  Yes it did even though it didn't build up to a huge grand sound but it did lead into a nice dark Gothic rock song.  Instruments are really nice in this one going at a nice slow pace that helped build a nice atmosphere.  The thing that I was surprised to hear in this song was a drum solo and while it is far from being "Moby Dick" (by Led Zepplin) it wasn't bad.  The vocals in this song helped build up the dark atmosphere and it did get quite chilling and even more so when they brought in the backing vocal track.

Sadly this song also suffers the same audio problem as the "Sia" song did to where the audio is mixed too loud and it hurt my ears.  Another problem is that there is nothing romantic about this song at all but I am also glad as this is one of the better songs off this album and helps make me forget about some of the crap on this album.  This one is worth a listen.

Track 10: Sleeping at Last - Turning Page

Up next we have an overly romantic song that I recognized right away.  This song is a romantic pop-rock ballad with some very beautiful sounding instruments.  The instruments you hear are piano and violin (I bet you though that I was going to say "light symphony" there) and they worked very well together.  The vocals in this song are very emotional heavy with the singer giving a very heartfelt performance that also blended together really well. 

This song actually messes with your emotions (or with me at least... And maybe your wife or girlfriend) and it also gave me a wild imagination of what on Earth is going on while this song is playing.  Sad thing is that even though the singer does give a very heartfelt performance I can't understand a single thing being said in the song.  Overall this song wasn't bad at all although this is also the kind of music that I'm not really into but I'm sure a lot of you (well maybe those from outside the Mondocoolmunity) will enjoy it.  Either way this is defiantly one of the better tracks on the album and certainly fits in the "romance" genre.

Track 11: Cee Lo Green - What Part Of Forever

While I'm personally not a huge fan of Cee Lo Green, I don't mind him and find it appropriate that he is on this album. This pop song opens up with some very happy sounding acoustic guitar followed by some happy whistling that reminds me of a cowboy film (maybe even a happy janitor). Not too long after the guitar changes rhythm and the lyrics kick in and it goes on like that until it ends the same way the song started.

I liked the vocals in this song as it was quite relaxing to hear and sounded very good. Lyric wise this is your standard pop song about your standard pop song themes (geesh that's narrowing it down). I liked how they added cowboy whistling to this song as it gave the song some charm that made me feel good on the inside and it was also quite catchy. I was also fond of the guitar in this song with it's very happy sound that helped made me feel warm on the inside. I was surprised that the guitar sound in this song wasn't repetitive as they did change up the rhythm throughout the song and it worked well.

A downside to this song is that they mixed the vocals to be a bit too loud and it does drown out all the other instruments. Overall I found this song to be enjoyable and made me feel warm just like how pop music is supposed to be. One of the better tunes on this album.


Track 12: Lykke Li - Possibility

Up next we have another song that is a piano solo with vocals. The piano in this song are the same dark and gloomy sounding notes. The piano sounded fine at first but then it got old fast as it is the same tune for five minutes. I found the vocals in this song to be very uninteresting and not well done at all. The mixing in this song was pretty good but sadly that's the only good thing I will say about this song (unless you count the piano sounding fine at first part). The song dragged out for far too long and once the song fades out you'll think it is over but then another vocal part kicks in adding another minute to this song. Overall this was a pretty boring tune with uninteresting vocals and I don't recommend listening this this unless you want to fall asleep at the wheel.

Track 13: The Features - From Now on

Jumping from a song that puts you to sleep to (cue John Cleese) something completely different. This song has a high energy pop-rock/new wave-esk sound that is pretty exciting. The instruments have a style that sound like a fusion between 1980's dance music and rock from the year 2004. I liked the sound of the instruments in this song as I liked the playful nature of it and it made me feel good on the inside. The parts I really liked were the keyboard parts that bridged together the verse and chorus as I enjoyed it's chilled out new wave sound. Vocals sounds very 1980's classic rock in the same style of bands such as "Mental As Anything" and "The Cars" and it wasn't half bad as it did add to the exciting catchy nature of this song.

The mixing on this song was very solid and you do hear every instrument in the background very clearly and nothing gets drowned out. Overall this wasn't a bad song at all and was worth a listen. Not a skippable song.


Track 14: James Vincent McMorrow - Ghosts

Our next track is a very ghostly sounding RnB song named "Ghost" (funnily enough). The sound of the instruments in this song are quite dark and cold sounding that builds up a very chilling atmosphere. The instruments also will make you feel quite relaxed at the same time just like resting calmly by a tree at the cemetery.

Vocals in this song are quite beautiful with a very heartfelt performance that has a very smooth vibe to it. It was also quite interesting too as it has some decent lyrics that are entertaining to listen to. I liked the mixing on this song as it did a good job at highlighting the vocals without taking anything away from the instruments. Overall this is a pretty solid song and it is also worth a listen.


Track 15: Hurricane Bells - Monsters

Kicking off with a very distorted guitar solo we go from Ghosts to a rock song named Monsters. You'll actually hear the whole distorted guitar sound throughout the whole song with guitar solo in between verses... Although the solo was quite lazy if you asked me. The bass and drums in this song has a very funky sound and it worked very well with the guitar. I liked the sound of the instruments as a whole in this song as it was very exciting and will give you a jolt of adrenaline into your system.

Vocals in this song have a distorted sound that is similar to the guitar but a bit more clearer. They are also quite catchy although the vocalist in this song sounds a bit depressing but entertaining at the same time. This song also feels out of place on this album as it isn't romantic at all but I am glad this track is on here nonetheless (wow I just had a strange case of Deja Vu right there). Overall I enjoyed this song and it had a sound that was quite different from the rest of the tunes that felt quite refreshing.


Track 16: Beck and Bat For Lashes - Let's Get Lost

This next track is a bit of an unusual one as this is a collaboration techno song duet featuring the band "Bats For Lashes" and solo artist "Beck". Music wise it is what you'd expect from a techno song with strong distorted drums, bass, and electronics from computers, a keyboard, and quite possible two turntables and a microphone. Well actually there are two microphones as there are two vocalist on this song with one being "Beck" and the other being the vocalists of "Bats For Lashes".

The techno in this song also has a very dark misty atmosphere and it sounded pretty good. The vocals on this track were also pretty good and really went well with the dark techno sounds. The lyrics weren't anything special but it worked well with the song nonetheless. Overall we have another good track on this album that was worth a listen. I do have an odd feeling though that either the next song or the one after will be the one to break the streak of good songs that we have heard for the past few tracks... Although I could be wrong on that one as I'm only just guessing.


Track 17: Metric - Eclipse (All Yours)

Oh great, another band I'm not looking forward to but... Well I don't need to repeat myself again. This track is a pop-rock song with some decent sounding instruments. This song kicks off with a charming sounding acoustic guitar that goes on throughout the song which I actually enjoyed. Then the vocals kicked in and I wasn't a fan of them as the vocals on this song had an irritating sound but it wasn't all bad as there were some vocal parts that sounded decent. Towards the end of the song we have an electric guitar joining the party to which I also found to be irritating to listen to but unlike the vocals I didn't find any parts to sound decent. Drumming on this song was very quiet and you won't notice it is there unless you are really paying attention.

The mixing on this song was pretty decent with most the instruments at the right volumes to where none of the instruments drown out the other instruments except the drums. Overall I didn't like this song nor do I hate it at the same time. There were some parts that annoyed me but there were also some I liked. But in the end this song is a no for me but I can see some people enjoying this song.


Track 18: Howard Shore - Jacob's Theme

At last we have reached another original composition on this album. This next track is a piano solo and it sounded very good. This song has quite a cold vibe that also sounds quite inviting like meeting up with a friend. There is a downside to this song though as while it was good it doesn't stick around in your mind and is forgettable. Overall there isn't much to say about this song but it wasn't bad although it's far off from being one of the greatest movie scores but was worth a listen nonetheless.

Track 19: Bruno Mars - It Will Rain

The next song is another pop song that uses a mixture of traditional instruments and an light symphony mixed in with electronic beats. I didn't like the electronic sounds in this one as it made the song way to crowded to where I could only barely make out the other instruments. As for the other instruments in this song I enjoyed most of them from what I could make out. The drums were pretty basic yet catchy and the piano had a very nice smooth jazz sound. The symphonic part just made the song way too cheesy to the point where I was like "Aw c'mon that's just a bit much".

Vocals on this song weren't bad at all with a very nice soulful sound that's bound to make the women swoon. Mixing on this song was terrible as you got rubbish sounding electronics getting in the way like some jerk cutting you off the highway. The part that was correctly mixed was the vocals which was to be expected. Overall this song would've been better without that damn washing machine electronic sound so I'm going to have to recommend skipping this one.


Track 20: Eastern Conference Champions - A Million Miles An Hour

It's funny that we go from a song "A Thousand Years" to "A Million Miles An Hour"... Well maybe not "ha ha" funny but it made for a cheap way to open up the next song. This song kicks off with an intro that sounds just like "Mountain Song" by the band "Jane's Addition" and was so very close to yelling out "COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN!". After that the song still has that same alternative, grunge, rock style that still sounds the same as that song I mentioned earlier. It doesn't sound bad by any means as there are some nice sounds and an okay guitar solo mixed in there.

Vocals is the only thing that helps me tell the difference between those two songs and it sounds pretty average. The vocalist on this song sounds like he is trying a bit too hard to sound just like "Chris Cornell" (from the band "Soundgarden") only to sound like that he is a cheap mumbling Elvis impersonator. I know that sounds a bit harsh and that I'm reaching an "angry reviewer" persona right not but no, I'm actually being quite honest here.

Mixing on this song wasn't bad at all as you could make out everything quite clearly. I don't get how this is considered romantic but hey that seems to be a good chunk of this album so far. Overall this song doesn't sound bad but I'd rather just throw on "Mountain Song" by "Jane's Addiction" instead. People who have never heard that song will probably think that this song is great though but I wouldn't give it that much credit. I recommend skipping this one though.

Track 21: The Black Ghosts - Full Moon

This next track uses quite an interesting style by fusing together folk rock and electronic. The result of this mish mash patty waash (give a dog a bone) is... It's alright but nothing special. The folk rock at the start of the song did sound very dull and it got boring. The song did get better once the electronic kicked in and coincidentally the folk rock guitar changes tune. The electronic sound mixed with the folk rock didn't sound bad but nothing special as it was very generic sounding. Later on the instruments are joined up with violin and it sounded as uber chessy as me saying "uber cheesy".

There were vocals on this song that had a dark ghost like sound and it was also fairly generic sounding and also not very creative. It did work with the song however and made it listenable. The mixing on this song was quite decent to where I could hear everything clearly and is one of the best mixed songs on this album. In the end this song was nothing special but very standable to where you won't bother skipping this one.


Track 22: The Belle Brigade - I Didn't Mean It

Coming up next down the isle is an indie-rock song with jazz and soul influences mixed in. The best way that I can describe this sound of this song is that it sounds like something out of a car commercial (drive the all-new KAI-3000 AKA The Catcast today). Most of this song is comprised of jazzy piano with soulful sounding vocals. The sound of the piano was fun with a nice groovy sound that reminds me of "Robert Palmer" (who did the song "Simply Irresistible"). For what the vocals were trying to achieve it ended up sounding quite weak and felt more like "I'M YELLING! OH DEAR GODZILLA! I AM YELLING!".

Towards the end of the song we get to hear a nice simple guitar solo and it worked well with this song. The mixing on this could've been better as some of the instruments did sound a bit fuzzy. Overall this song wasn't bad but could've been better and was worth at least a few listens.


Track 23: OK Go - Shooting The Moon

"Shooting the Moon" by "OK Go" was one of the songs that I was looking most to hearing on this album as I am a fan of that band. What I ended up getting was a very charming song that makes me feel like that I am watching fireflies glowing in the moonlight on a riverbank while "Kermit the Frog" is resting on a lillypad. I have heard this song once before on the video game "Rock Band 3 (2010)" and I am not surprised at all that this song has made this album as it has a very strong romantic vibe.

There are two parts to the instrumentals of this song. The first part is a symphony with some heavier drums that slowly builds up throughout most the song. The second part is a very great sounding jam session that gives you a very satisfying feeling. It also transcends really well giving you a feeling that some froth is stuck in a champagne bottle building up pressure and once the jam session comes the cork in the bottle explodes and the froth blasts you in the face.

The guitar in this song is a very nice "camp fire" sounding acoustic guitar and then turns into an electric guitar that also sounds very nice. Drums for the first half is nothing but "thud-thud" and despite me making it sound annoying it actually sounds quite relaxing. The drums also change into a more electric sound that goes well with the guitar. Vocally this song sounds fairly decent with some very charming vocals. Throw all of the elements together and you get a really great, charming song. This is one of the better songs on the album if not the best song on the album.


Track 24: Cider Sky - Northern Lights

"Northern Lights" by the band "Cider Sky" was not a good listen indeed as it was quite terrible. Instrument wise this song uses electronics with most of them sounding really dull and boring. The only sound I did like was the bass beats as it was very soothing but it isn't that loud and I had to really search for it and that should tell you how bored I got with this song due to me having to find at least one simple sound to keep me entertained.

The vocals on this track are also boring but not as dull sounding as the electronics although it does have a really cliche sound to it. The harmony parts of this song did not work as it only got in the way rather than blend. The mixing in this song was not good as you could tell by some of the things that I complained about with this song. The instruments weren't clear with it sounding like a mess and well... You know what I thought about the vocals. Overall this song is perfect for if you have no more sheep left to count . I wouldn't recommend listening to this while operating heavy machinery as you are bound to crash it into something causing your shipment of "overcooked sausages" to crash down and kill who ever is in the same warehouse as you (although you get my praise if you squash your horrible boss or co-worker as those kinds of people are dicks*). Yep you can skip this song alright.

*Note: That was used for a cheap gag and Mondo Cool Cast doesn't recommend you actually purposely kill your dickhead of a boss and/or co-worker... Although Kaiser does.


Track 25: Green Day - The Forgotten

Well this wasn't a band that I expected to find on this album and personally I am glad to see them on there (I'm not going to be biased because of that in case you are wondering). What can I say about this song other than it has that signature rock ballad Green Day sound that can be found on their albums "American Idiot (2004)" and "21st Century Breakdown (2009)". This song also has no creativity as well with weak lyrics and a very generic sound. The music is also the same for the whole five minutes that this song runs for.

While this is far from being on of Green Day's greatest hits it isn't actually boring and the time does fly by but the un-creativity of this song is sure to get to people. The mixing in this song was good as all the instruments and vocals on this track was very clear and well blended (just like my coffee). Overall this wasn't a bad track nor was it a good track as it is what it is (sorry to sound a bit uncreative there... Oh the irony). In the end it was listenable but nothing special and you'll most likely have this running in the background while you are talking to all your friends and/or family.


Track 26: Lupe Fiasco - Solar Midnite

Oh how I dreaded the day to where I had to review an album with this artist* on it but then again he could surprise me. Well it did surprise me as I liked the heavy distorted sounding intro as it reminded me of the song "Pepper" by the band "The Butthole Surfers". The lyrics kicked in shortly after with an alternative rock sound that complimented the heavy sound.

Once that part was over the song changes vocals and instrument to a very high pitched annoying sound with messy sounding instruments. Little to say but that was the point from when I was enjoying this song to becoming disappointed with it. It did not sound good at all as it was dumb and annoying. It wasn't all bad though as it did switch back to the sound that I like but that wasn't enough to save this song as I knew what was coming up next... yep that very annoying sound. This time however it was mixed in with the distorted alternative rock sound but that didn't help at all.

I'll give this song some credit though as the lyrics in this song were decent. I can see what they were trying to do with the mixing by having it sound a bit rougher to go with the heavy and distorted theme and it worked in this case. Overall this song does start off decent but then it goes downhill from there and will disappoint you. I don't recommend this song... Plus "midnight" was spelt wrong.

*Note: I originally wanted to use the word "wanker" but I settled for something more professional instead. Yes I am aware that I probably should've kept that silenced as saying the word in this notes section is just as unprofessional as using it in the actual review part but you'll get over it... Maybe..?


Track 27: The Magic Numbers and Amadou & Mariam - All I Believe In

Odd genre mixtures seem to a thing on this album with the next song being a hybrid of country and traditional African music. The instruments in this song are pretty simple with a nice country sounding guitar and African drums. The guitar riffs in this song weren't bad and had a very calming atmosphere to it to where I became very relaxed. The drums went very well with the song and helped made the song sound calm.

My problem with this song is with the vocals as during the start and end of the song was irritating and sounded like a mixture of a bad Kermit the Frog impersonator and an irritated baby. During the middle of the song they change singers to two women singing in another language (sorry for that lazyness as I can't find info on this song or band with the right information) and it sounded really good and very calming. Mixing on this song was good with no problems what so ever.

Overall this song was alright but far from being perfect. While I did have problems with it I wouldn't say that this was a skippable song. Worth a few listens.


Track 28: Theophilus London - Neighbors

This next track is none other than a rap song. Instrumentally there is not a lot going on but drum beats, funky sounding guitar samples, clapping, and piano looping throughout the whole song. I wasn't a fan of the instruments in this song as they were very slow and boring and it did come close to putting me to sleep. The vocals in this song weren't bad though with a nice soothing and did help me get through the song.

I didn't like how this track was mixed as all the instruments were all over the place and got a bit confusing. Overall I'm not going to recommend this track as it was quite boring. A skipper for sure.


Track 29: Band Of Skulls - Friends

Yay! Another band that I was looking forward to hearing on this album. This track is a rock song with distorted sounding instruments. The instruments in this song were alright and I did like the distortion but there wasn't anything special played in this track giving a very "B-Side" feeling. The vocals suffer the same problem as the instruments and while it doesn't sound bad you won't find yourself getting into it either.

The mixing on this tune was quite rough and I'm guessing that is what they were going for. Overall this tune wasn't anything special and is best suited for a B-side of a single. You can skip this one.


Track 30: Fanfarlo - Atlas

Up next we have a folk rock song from the band "Fanfarlo" and the track is titled "Atlas". For the third time in a row we get a track that I haven't got much to talk about. The instruments in this song are nothing but banjo, guitar, and drums playing the same notes over and over... Well that's not completely true as there is a solo towards the end. I wasn't feeling anything from the instruments but boredom due to the repetitiveness. The solo was also quite weak and did nothing for me.

Vocals on this song had a very emotional and ghostly sound and I wasn't a fan of them as they were also quite boring. The mixing on this song was also quite rough and sounded distorted due to compression during some parts of the song. Overall I wasn't impressed with this song and I recommend skipping this track.


Track 31: The Bravery - Ours

This next track is a symph-pop song called "Ours" from the band named "The Bravery". This song skips a friendly hello and kicks into the instruments and vocals as soon as you hit the play button. The instruments in this song were decent with a healthy mixture (another way of saying "nice mixture") of rocking drums and guitar with cool sounding symphiziser. The vocals have a new wave sound to it and it sounded alright but nothing all that special.

A problem I have with this song is that is ran for a bit too long and got boring and it could've been done in half the time. The mixing was a bit off in this track to where the instruments were drowning out the vocals. Overall if this song ran for a bit shorter then I would've liked it a lot more but sadly due to that reason I can't recommend it. Geeze we are stuck on another load of boring songs. Will the next one cure us of that? Or will is it too far into the album for it to pick up? Let us (lettuce) find out (pine nut)... Damn I must be bored (musky board).


Track 32: Battles - The Line

All you late night walkers rejoice! This next track is a techno song! The instruments in this song is as what you would expect from a techo song. This track has drums, electronic beats, and electric guitar. I hate to say this but we have yet another boring track on this album. Why? Well it was because the song went on and on and on with very weak minimalistic electronics. What this song needed was more electronic sounds as what we got was just barely enough to mark it as techno and you know as well as I do that techno without fun electronics just leaves us with drums playing and that what this song turned into... A boring drum solo. I was also not a fan of the vocals on this track as it was quite annoying sounding with some whiny sounds.

The mixing on this track was decent with nothing worth mentioning about it. Overall I didn't like this tune and I don't think I need to repeat why. Not any amount of LSD (or any other kind of drug) would make you stay awake through this track.


Track 33: Grizzly Bear - Slow Life

Nearly at the end of the album now with our second last track being a folk rock, electronic rock hybrid song sung by a "Grizzly Bear" (not really as it was just a pun on the band's name). The way the instruments work in this song is that it switches in between a very calming folk rock song and then it changes to a distorted sounding electronic song. I actually didn't mind this at all and found that it worked together quite nicely. The instruments didn't sound bad at all although this song likes to keep it basic to where you'll normally just hear guitar and singing and nothing else. The vocals in this song were quite calming and it also worked well with the crazy hybrid vibe.

Mixing in this song was a bit rough and did sound like that the track was compressed. Overall this song was decent but nothing that I would listen to over and over again but not a bad song to have in the background. Nice to see that we finally broke the streak of boring songs but sadly it came this far into the album.


Track 34: Imperial Mammoth - Requiem On Water

Well this is it folks the final track and "folks" was an appropriate choice of words as this last track is a folk rock song played by an "Imperial Mammoth" (yes I am repeating jokes... So sue me). The instruments on this track are quite basic with the band only using guitar and piano. The sounds on this song were quite calming like a sweet lullaby from a mother's warm heart and ended up working together quite well. The vocals on this track also have a warm feeling to them that helped calm me down.

This song was also quite short and it did feel a bit weird as the song has a sudden ending as when it ends you expect the song to jump into another verse and chorus. The mixing on this song also was a bit rough to where the song sounds compressed. Overall this wasn't a bad way to end the album and it did calm me down after some of my frustrations with the past few songs.


Conclusion

Well that's all folks! Now we go to the billion dollar question (or the $22.99 question really as that's how much this album costs) is this album worth buying? That answer is... No! The main reason why I can't (or not to be more correct) recommend this album is not because it's a Twilight product (that'd be damn biased) but because this album suffers the same problems as many other movie soundtracks have. That problem is that there are way too many B-grade songs that would just simply be filler on any full-length album from any of these artists. While there are some great songs on this album I'd recommend you'd just get the albums that those songs have appeared on. This album is a no for me.


Album: Forever: Love Songs From The Twilight Saga
Artist: Various
Genre: Rock, Jazz, Alternative, Pop, New Wave, Gothic, Electronic
Running Time: 135 Minutes (34 Tracks)
Distributor: Warner Music Australia (http://www.warnermusic.com.au/home)
Price: $22.99
Recommended: No

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