b_hodges's Full Review: Trainspotting [Original Soundtrack] by Original So...
I have to admit that I hate the idea of movie soundtracks, because it's mainly just a way to make a movie that much more profitable. Particularly when the movie is not at all defined by the music. What's the point of a soundtrack? Then there are movies like Trainspotting that are exactly the opposite -- the music certainly defines the movie.
Moods that can't be captured by plot alone can be enhanced by music. In Trainspotting, a movie about the highs and lows of drugs, high energy, lively music such as Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life" and "Nightclubbing" can accentuate the highs, while ethereal, contemplative songs like Brian Eno's "Deep Blue Day", Blur's "Sing", and Damian Albarn's "Closet Romantic" can act as a musical sedative for the mind. Mixed in with the driving force of non-stop techno beats in some songs, and the sublime reflection of a normal day as perfect in Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" (which fits in seamlessly, though it predates the next oldest song on the album by 15 years).
These songs are also used cleverly to portray moods and personalities to define characters in the movie. The brashness of Begbie, the anxiousness and strung-outness of Renton, and the silence of Spud are all highlighted by the music of the soundtrack.
In keeping with the movie, the music is unmistakably European (British, to be specific), which also gives the movie and its music authenticity.
To listen to the album from start to finish is best, as the power of the arrangement can really move the listener. The pounding timpani in "Lust For Life" kicks off the album with a lot of energy, then "Deep Blue Day" abruptly softens the mood, seemingly lifting the listener up to the sky. "Primal Scream" keeps the listener in the sky for ten more minutes, slowly bringing them down to earth for the next song, "Sleeper". The rest of the album is the same kind of highs and lows felt in the movie and is a wonderful experience to listen to at home.
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