It is the rare soundtrack album that can stand on its own, independent of the film it normally accompanies. The Social Network soundtrack by Trent Reznor and Atticus Finch is one; it can easily be enjoyed by itself. The soundtrack to Rango, however, is not one. While it is enjoyable in its own right, seeing the movie certainly helps one enjoy it more.
The first thing is that one needs to keep in mind is that this is a soundtrack, not a separate piece of music. The music is definitely written to match the action on the screen; even if you have not seen the movie, you can hear the motion in the music. If you have seen the movie, you will picture the action, relive the movie and thereby enjoy the soundtrack even more.
This is not to say that the music itself is not enjoyable, it is. It is enlivened by the inclusion of references to other soundtracks; whether it be the direct use of “Ride of the Valkyries” at one point or the more indirect echoes of other Westerns throughout, like in the tune “We Ride, Really!” This is also reflective of the movie itself, which incorporates a constant stream of references to other movies. Again, it is not necessary to know this to enjoy the soundtrack, but it does help.
These recurring Western themes fit the setting of the film (the Mojave desert) and the plot (sort of a cross between High Noon and Chinatown), as does a strong thread of Mexican folk music running throughout. And in the end, Los Lobos show up to take us out in style, with the “Rango Theme” and “Walk, Don't Rango,” a cross between the Western soundtrack and surf music. All of which adds to the pleasure of the soundtrack on its own.
It is worth pointing out that, in the movie, a group of mariachi owls – who act as a sort of Greek chorus and provide most of the Mexican flavor – add another layer to the enjoyment of both the film and its score. These owls also provide many of the snippets of dialogue incorporated into the soundtrack, which really tie this CD to the movie. This starts on the very first track, with the pronouncement, “But the lizard… he is going to die.” Those of us who have seen the movie will find this line quite funny, as it introduces a running gag in the movie. The gag is repeated on the soundtrack, so the casual listener can follow it, but I don't think the effect is as great as in the movie.
Artist:
www.rangomovie.com/
Album:
Rango OST is out now. Buy it here on Amazon .
