It's eerily atonal at times, and electronic at times, with bluegrass themes, and catchy choruses. You can listen to track samples at last.fm. True, some of the tracks sound like a Junior High band trying to warm up.
Others, however, such as Boyd's Journey, The Cave, Run, Manifest Destiny, and particularly the End Titles tracks fill a void in my musical repertoire like none other can. I love listening to Manifest Destiny in my car with the bass turned up really high. That's a track that needs to be felt to be experienced well.
One nice thing about modern technology is playlists. You can skip the uninspiring tracks (which probably fill a great purpose in the telling of the story of the movie-- this is a true soundtrack), and instead listen to music magic like Manifest Destiny.
My rating: (considering the playlist option to exclude uninteresting tracks) five stars.
Postscript: Manifest Destiny has, what I'd tonally call, what resembles a "dailing tone" or "busy signal" as one of its themes. Here are a few more songs that use that theme. Please submit any of your favorites that you think match.
- In the Meantime, by Spacehog (YouTube video -- by the way, Spacehog rocks)
- Vienna Calling (YouTube video -- by the way, Falco rocks too)
- Kraftwerk (YouTube video -- do I have to say it?)
- Pink Floyd - Young Lust/Empty Spaces Interlude (YouTube video, 4:55 in)
- The Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Telephone and Rubber Band (YouTube video - in case you thought you'd heard the Spacehog music before)
