Album Review: The Fault In Our Stars – Music From The Motion Picture
3 min read
The Fault In Our Stars is a movie to be released on June 5th and stars Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort (both seen recently in Divergent). The story centers around two extraordinary teenagers who met at a cancer support group and fall in love, taking them on an unforgettable journey. If you think it all sounds pretty upsetting, then you’re spot on. But a movie that describes such an epic love story should have an equally as wonderful soundtrack. The Fault In Our Stars album features artists such as Ed Sheeran, Birdy, Charlie XCX, Lykke Li and Jaymes Young, to name a few. Many of them have written original songs for this movie, and they are sure to be absolute tear-jerkers.
Ed Sheeran and Birdy take the prize for the most heart-wrenching ballads, although I think Birdy gets a slight edge over Ed. Both Sheeran’s All Of The Stars and Birdy’s Not About Angels were written specifically for this movie. All Of The Stars is to be played over the end credits, and is the sort of heart breaking ballad with stunning lyrics that Sheeran has become known for. But Not About Angels is bound to bring many listeners to tears. This haunting piano ballad showcases Birdy at her best. The thing that sets her apart is that her voice holds so much raw emotion, and it has never been so obvious than in Not About Angels.
The English songstress also adds two other songs to The Fault In Our Stars soundtrack. Tee Shirt is a beautifully simple ballad accompanied by a guitar, and really hits the nail on the head. Birdy’s other track on the album is a duet with fellow singer songwriter Jaymes Young. Best Shot is a bit more upbeat than we are used to hearing Birdy, and her vocals blend with Young’s perfectly.
Kodaline shows us how to create a heartbreaking song that isn’t a ballad with All I Want. This indie-inspired song has gorgeous lyrics, yet climaxes to a fantastic instrumental solo. Oblivion by Indians and Strange Things Will Happen by The Radio Dept. are both mesmerising songs that are easy to get lost within. Charlie XCX’s Boom Clap is the only pure pop number on the soundtrack, and has some pretty lyrics hidden within a fairly generic melody. I was unsure of it’s place on this album, however when you close your eyes, it is actually quite easy to imagine it being played at some point within the movie.
The one song that does not fit on this compilation is Bomfalleralla by Afasi and Filthy. Whilst this foreign hip hop/r & b definitely has style and charm, it is completely random on this soundtrack and one has to wonder who’s idea it was to include it. But unique tracks like STRFKR’s indie/electronica While I’m Alive and No One Ever Loved by Lykke Li help to make up for that one terrible decision.
The Fault In Our Stars soundtrack offers up some absolutely stunning ballads and bountiful lyrics containing beautiful imagery. But be warned, arm yourself with tissues before listening to this album: I guarantee you will need them.
