Do I go to movies? Well, no. There’s little point with me because when the cinema lights go down and the credits start to roll, I’m off into the deepest sleep. I went to see the same film three times once (it was Fletch) and managed the first ten minutes before my head fell onto the shoulder of the hapless lady sitting next to me. So, for new movies, I’m pretty well stuck with the film’s soundtrack to get a flavour of what’s goin’ on.

But I also love soundtracks because sound quality has to achieve the highest levels to add that dynamic range to a movie, at least for the punters who manage to stay awake. For a blockbuster movie that purports to display some inner wisdom, the music can add depth and drama. Listening to this soundtrack you just know that the movie is a mix of deeper emotional and action-packed moments. Snow Patrol’s ‘Signal Fire’ successfully combines both the emotional and calamitous with a song that starts quietly and melodically before opening out into thrash rock choruses. The Killers ‘Move Away’ is next and promises deadly action from note one with its rampant bass line and rushed pace. Yeah Yeah Yeahs ‘Sealings’ sustains the action vibe before Wolfmother’s ‘Pleased To Meet You’ lifts the sonic bar even further. Beatsteaks’ ‘Cut Off The Top’ slows the pace in a threatening kinda way, before my heroes The Walkmen introduce their unique brand of alt country rock contemplation with a classic tune, ‘Red River.’ Then it’s the turn of Black Mountain to calm things dramatically with their very beautiful acoustic song, ‘Stay Free.’ The Flaming Lips, Simon Dawes, Chubby Checker, Rogue Wave, Coconut Records, Jet, Sounds Under Radio, The Wyo’s, and The Dohlas are also featured on this excellent, diverse and rock-biased compilation. As blockbuster soundtracks go, this one’s in amongst the best of them and definitely worth acquiring.

4/5