If the trailer hasn’t enticed you to see The Great Gatsby, the soundtrack certainly will. The soundtrack is a luscious Art Deco eargasm and will enchant your senses. It captures the jazz, booze, and decadence of the Jazz Age perfectly. I read the book growing up and loved it, so I can’t wait to see the film!
The Jay-Z-produced track, “$100 Bill,” gives the album a strong opening. It heavily samples audio samples of the film. However, wife Beyonce’s cover of “Back To Black” with Andre 3000 does outshine it a bit. It samples a mixture of both modern and Jazz Age beats, which makes for an interesting rendition. Beyonce’s voice is incredibly sensual and haunting.
The will.i.am. track “Bang Bang” is definitely the biggest party track on the album. It samples a lot of the “Charleston” sounds of the “roaring ’20s.” The melody is incredibly beat-driven and less complex than those on the other tracks. Black Eyed Peas’s bandmate Fergie also has a track on the album called “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)” with GoonRock and Q-Tip.
Lana Del Rey’s track, “Young and Beautiful,” was the first released off of the album and probably one of the most moving. Her haunting alto voice captures the plot of the film incredibly well. It really captures the views of the main female lead, Daisy Buchanan, who has been described as “Kardashian like” by Carey Mulligan.
Florence and The Machine’s “Over the Love” is another amazing track. Florence Welch’s voice has a powerful, alto quality that really works for the soundtrack and seems to pull it all together. The track is absolutely fantastic and has an amazing ethereal quality!
Upcoming superstar Emeli Sande does a fantastic rendition of “Crazy in Love” with the Bryan Ferry Orchestra. Her voice is absolutely magical and I’m excited to see her on this album. Part of me is a bit shocked that Beyonce, who’s also on this album, didn’t perform it. However, I’m glad that Emeli Sande got the chance to perform this track – possibly even better than Beyonce!
The soundtrack drops today, May 7, and the film comes out this Friday, May 10. Be sure to check out this world of Moet and Chandon, loose morals, and jazz!