La La Land (2016)
La La Land
This is legitimately one of the best soundtracks ever written, as well as one of my new favorites. It was done by Justin Hurwitz, which I was really excited about. He also did the score for Whiplash, which I listened to only a few days before this one. Therefore, when I learned that he did this soundtrack, I knew it was gonna be fantastic. And I was not disappointed. When I first watched La La Land, I was blown away by not just the movie, but the music as well. So being able to sit back and listen to every measure of this soundtrack was super special. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone do a beautiful job, and both of their performances were so pure and stunning. Gosling isn’t someone who I would’ve thought could’ve pulled off the song and dance routines, but he completely blew me away. His voice is so warm and relaxing, yet so full of emotion. In some songs, you can hear every bit of love his character shows, and in others, it’s almost a quiet grumble. Emma Stone also does the same thing. She’s able to let out an angelic sound, and I’m so glad she was cast for this movie. The opening track “Another Day of Sun” perfectly sets you up for the rest of the soundtrack. It has the happy tone of love and togetherness, which is what the whole movie is about. “Someone in the Crowd” has a great big band sound, while still keeping in touch with the modern style. “Mia & Sebastian’s Theme” is one of the best movie themes ever written, and you can quote me on that. You can almost literally feel the love and pain in each note, as it perfectly encapsulates their story into the theme. I really enjoy “A Lovely Night”, as it almost has a Singin’ in the Rain vibe to it. In the movie, it’s accompanied with a dance sequence, which is why I like it so much. Gosling and Stone give this song almost a Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds feel, which is awesome for the music and movie. My favorite song on the whole soundtrack is “City of Stars”. The first time I heard it, I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. The combination of the easiness of the instruments and Gosling’s low voice makes it relaxing, and almost cold at the same time. “Start a Fire” was a great addition to the soundtrack, as John Legend gets a chance to shine with his solo song. And “Epilogue” is awesome, because it takes pieces of each song and throws it into one final conclusion. Overall, this was a beautifully crafted soundtrack, and Justin Hurwitz should be super proud for his hard work. I would highly recommend it to everyone, even if you haven't seen the movie. This soundtrack is officially Berry Approved, so go give it a listen!