Filthy Music Review - 'John Dies at the End Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'

John Dies at the End: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2013)

Brian Tyler

La-La Land Records

Review by Jude Felton

Some directors have been blessed with movies in which the scores have been just as memorable as the films themselves. The likes of John Carpenter, Dario Argento and Sergio Leone have all made not just one, but several films in which the scores are integral to the films and are just flat-out great pieces of music. With that in mind we really should add Don Coscarelli to this list; seriously.

Not only are Coscarelli’s films some of the most original out there, they are also blessed with terrific and infectious soundtracks. From the haunting Phantasm score, through to the absolutely fabulous Bubba Ho-Tep soundtrack, he has been blessed. However, unlike the aforementioned directors, who have been synonymous with one composer, on the whole; with Carpenter himself, Goblin (and Claudio Simonetti) and Ennio Morricone, Coscarelli has been lucky enough to have different composers all come up with great scores.

With John Dies at the End, Bubba Ho-Tep composer Brian Tyler returns to Coscarelli-land, and once again delivers the goods. His previous collaboration on Bubba Ho-Tep, which can you believe was 10 years ago, was a superb album; it fit the movie to a tee but also worked perfectly as an album in its own right. With the John Dies at the End Soundtrack, Tyler has created a surreal album that, although not quite as instantly infectious as his previous work, will still bury itself in your mind.

It’s a trippy album which fuses many different styles, but works perfectly as one cohesive piece. As soon as you hit track two, Along the Blurry Road, you know you are in for a great ride. As with the Bubba Ho-Tep score, Tyler once again does employ some really beautiful string work, some of which will invoke the sounds of Bubba.

Having unfortunately not seen the film itself it is hard for me to say how well the music fits it, although given the music here, and what I know of the film, I can imagine that it is a perfect fit. What I will say, for absolute sure, is that Tyler has once again created a diverse, infectious and thoroughly impressive soundtrack. Listening to this album is just another indicator that Coscarelli needs to make the Bubba Ho-Tep sequel, and he has to have Tyler score it again.

If you are a fan of movie soundtracks, and great music, you really need to pick up this album. Be snappy about it though, as it is a limited edition of just 3000 copies. 

TRACK LISTING:

1. John Dies at the End (3:57) 
2. Along the Blurry Road (1:41)
3. Soy Sauce (1:52)
4. Tweaker Lullaby (2:54)
5. Tripping Balls (2:08)
6. Our Quest (1:06)
7. Meet the Meat (2:17)
8. Mirrors and Bratwurst (5:10)
9. Marconi (1:49)
10. Strange Passenger (3:10)
11. Mall of the Dead (6:12)
12. Ultimate Manifestation (9:31)
13. Odd Interrogation (3:07)
14. Marconi’s Final Thoughts (1:25)
15. The Aftermath (4:15)
16. Dne eht ta Seid Nhoj (2:49)
    Total Running Time: 53:23

John Dies at the End Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is available now from La-La Land Records, and can be ordered here.