Regardless of the strengths and failings of the Twilight Saga movies, their soundtracks captured the mood of each book perfectly. Breaking Dawn was split into two films, so the movie of the book’s first half is more or less a celebration of Bella and Edward’s love, and a chance for fans to see the wedding they’ve been anticipating for years.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Pt. 1 follows suit, delivering more than a few love songs that are surprisingly angst-free compared to the previous soundtracks. Imperial Mammoth's “Requiem on Water” could inspire the first dance at a wedding reception, while
Angus & Julia Stone's “Love Will Take You”’s cheery folk beams with the satisfaction of finding a soulmate.
The Features' “From Now On” turns that happiness into energetic pop, and Cider Sky's “Northern Lights” takes it in a sparkly electronic direction akin to
Owl City. Even more somber tracks like
Aqualung and
Lucy Schwartz's “Cold” and
Mia Maestro's “Llovera” make it clear that dedication is unquestioned. A handful of more aggressive tracks crash this party:
the Joy Formidable's “Endtapes,”
the Belle Brigade's “I Didn’t Mean It,” and
the Noisettes' “Sister Rosetta [2011 Version]” sound all the feistier next to the gauzy romance of most of these songs, while
Bruno Mars returns to the oddly violent side of his songwriting (à la “Grenade”) for “It Will Rain,” the only truly troubled-sounding song here. Still, the most notable thing about
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Pt. 1 is its unabashed romanticism, and the album more than serves its purpose as a Twilight-branded wedding playlist. ~ Heather Phares