lambchops's Full Review: Natural Born Killers by Original Soundtrack
Everything Trent Reznor touches turns to gold. The Natural Born Killers soundtrack is just another example of his gift for music and production.
It’s hard not to remember the social and media commentary offered by Oliver Stone’s 1994 violently strange film Natural Born Killers starring Juliette Lewis as Mallory and Woody Harrelson as Mickey. Wit and cynicism are interspersed with sexual and violent imagery. You either love or hate the film. I personally have a certain affinity for strange films. Thus, I love Natural Born Killers.
Trent Reznor was a perfect choice to produce the soundtrack. Known as the ringleader (and only constant member) of nine inch nails, Reznor’s sharp, industrial sound is a perfect compliment to this dark film. The songs that he assembled on this album and in the film are wonderful and range from tracks by Leonard Cohen to Bob Dylan to Cowboy Junkies to L7. It’s a diverse mixture of tracks.
The overall ambiance of this soundtrack is spooky and strange. Dialogue from the stars is intermingled seamlessly with the songs. These songs reflect the increasing amounts of frantic insanity in Mickey and Mallory as the movie continues. This is truly a soundtrack that relies on conveying a message akin to that in the film instead of just putting together the songs used as background noise in a film. Rather than just throwing together a bunch of pretty or fitting tracks, Reznor has assembled songs, sound bits, and dialogue.
Leonard Cohen kicks off this superb soundtrack with ”Waiting For a Miracle”. As with many of his songs, this is intense and spooky and marked by his deep and dark voice. It’s a perfect compliment to the film in that ”Waiting For a Miracle” sets listeners up for an unsure and uneasy listening experience. At the end of the track, we see Mickey and Mallory first meet. Lewis’ character asks “are you flirtin’ with me?” Apparently, that answer is ‘yes.’
The mood changes to chaos and anger with the second track L7’s ”Sh*tlist”. So far as truly angry and intense rock and roll goes, this is one of the best songs you’ll ever hear. Courtney Love eat your heart out. These women rock harder than you ever could or did.
There are so many bright parts to this soundtrack. The dialogue mixed with the Cowboy Junkies masterpiece Sweet Jane is brilliant. The track pays homage to the strange love story between Mickey and Mallory. As songs go, this is beautiful and delicate and a strange break from some really heavy and even stranger tracks. The dialogue in the beginning is as follows: “The whole world is comin’ to an end, Mall…I see angels Mickey…they’re comin’ down for us from heaven…and I see you ridin’ a big red horse. You’re drivin’ the horses, whippin’ em…And I see the future, there’s no death. Cause you and I were angels. I love you Mall…I know you do baby, I’ve loved you since the day we met.
Of course, since Reznor produced this album, it would be incomplete without some nine inch nails tracks. The eighth song is ”Burn”, a classic from Reznor. But, it’s the fifteenth track that’s a standout. ”Something I Can Never Has” is understated and beautiful (yes, it’s possible for nine inch nails to be beautiful. Again, the track is introduced with classic dialogue. Mickey and Mallory fight about their goals, infidelities, and crimes in front of the song’s piano introduction. This is a very intense and very strong song. It is one of the best two on this album in my opinion. nine inch nails also is featured in ”A Warm Place”.
There aren’t any weak songs on this soundtrack. I know that’s a strong statement, but it’s the truth. Even old west influenced instrumental mood-setters like ”The Trembler” are great. ”Totally Hot” is great Mexican music and when paired with dialogue and then eventually Patsy Cline’s retro ”Back in Baby’s Arms”, proves insanely fun and interesting.
Dr. Dre adds his golden touch on the nineteenth track, ”The Day The Nigg*z Took Over”. You really can’t easily classify the Natural Born Killers soundtrack. The songs it contains truly spread all across different musical genres. Although, it seems most appropriate to say that this is a rock/industrial soundtrack. It’s also one of the few I own and one of the best I’ve ever heard (followed closely by the Pulp Fiction soundtrack).
Sure, quite a bit of the material is shocking or offensive. But, the CD directly correlates with the Stone film. Reznor has something very special here. This is a complete vision from beginning to end. The thing that holds these songs together is the story and the film’s plot. You don’t have to see the film to appreciate this album, but it will prove to be more visual and more interesting if you have.
For collectors of soundtracks, this is a must-own album. For fans of Reznor, this is an amazing masterpiece. For people who enjoyed the film, this soundtrack is a wonderful compliment. I give this album a much-deserved 5/5 stars. This is a long album well worth the $10 or $15 it may cost.
Track Listing
1. Waiting For The Miracle - Leonard Cohen
2. Sh*tlist - L7 (*)
3. Moon Over Greene County - Dan Zanes
4. Rock N Roll Nigg*r - Patti Smith
5. Sweet Jane - Cowboy Junkies (*)
6. You Belong To Me - Bob Dylan
7. Trembler, The - Duane Eddy
8. Burn - Nine Inch Nails
9. Route 666 - Robert Downey, Jr./Brian Berdan
10. Totally Hot - Remmy Ongala And Orchestre Super Matimila Ongala
11. Back In Baby's Arms - Patsy Cline
12. Taboo - Peter Gabriel/Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
13. Sex Is Violent - Jane’s Addiction
14. History (Repeats Itself) - A.O.S.
15. Something I Can Never Have - Nine Inch Nails (*)
16. I Will Take You Home - Russel Means
17. Drums A Go-Go - Hollywood Persuaders
18. Hungry Ants - Barry Adamson
19. Day The Nigg*z Took Over - Dr. Dre
20. Born Bad - Juliette Lewis
21. Fall Of The Rebel Angels - Sergio Cervetti
22. Forkboy - Lard
23. Batonga In Batongaville - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra Modest Mussorgsky
24. Warm Place, A - Nine Inch Nails
25. Allah, Mohammed, Char, Yaar
26. Future, The - Leonard Cohen
27. What Would U Do? - Tha Dogg Pound
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