Soundtrack Review: JENNIFER’S BODY
Rating: 7/10
You would probably expect a soundtrack for a film about a high school girl who (literally) eats boys for breakfast would be filled with loud, jarring songs that would lend to the chaos on screen. It turns out that the soundtrack for JENNIFER’S BODY is actually comprised of a variety of artists, including the guitar-driven White Lies to the more folksy Hayley Williams. This makes sense, as the film is not simply your typical horror jaunt – it also focuses on the idea of friendship, and relationships in general, all of which are only made more complicated in high school.
The entire compilation plays like a well put-together mix tape your slightly cooler best friend might have made. It introduced me to some new artists (big ups to Cute Is What We Aim For) while also reconfirming my enjoyment of others (see: Silversun Pickups).
The soundtrack is a good mix of the different emotions and moments experienced not just by the characters on screen, but by any high school student who can happily bop around to the beats of Cobra Starship one moment and need the more contemplative lyrics of Low Shoulder in the next. The tracks all work well together and continue to echo some of the themes explored in the film.
I must highlight Screeching Weasel’s cover of “I Can See Clearly Now,” as I always give an extra thumbs up to artists who can take well-known songs and put their own twist on them. The only purely instrumental track on the soundtrack is by The Sword, “Celestial Crown,” which is mainly electric guitars and driving drums.
My favorite song ended up being the very first track by Florence + the Machine: “Kiss With a Fist." The singer’s voice comes across as quirky and fun, but then the lyrics (“You hit me once / I hit you back / You gave a kick / I gave a slap / You smashed a plate over my head / And then I set fire to our bed”) play on the irony of a song that seems playful, while really telling a completely different story.
If you like any of these artists, you’ll probably enjoy this soundtrack, even if the movie itself isn’t your cup o’ tea. I was excited to see the Silversun Pickups getting some soundtrack love, and ended up finding some new artists to check out, too.
Soundtrack available on Fueled By Ramen.
1. "Kiss With a Fist" - Florence + The Machine
2. "New Perspective" - Panic! At the Disco
3. "Teenagers" - Hayley Williams
4. "New in Town" - Little Boots
5. "Finishing School" - Dashboard Confessional
6. "Through the Trees" - Low Shoulder
7. "Time" - Cute Is What We Aim For
8. "I Can See Clearly Now" - Screeching Weasel
9. "Chew Me Up & Spit Me Out" - Cobra Starship
10. "Toxic Valentine" - All Time Low
11. "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You" - Black Kids
12. "Death" - White Lies
13. "Celestial Crown" - The Sword
14. "Little Lover's So Polite" - Silversun Pickups
15. "Ready for the Floor" - Lissy Trullie
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