Into the Wild
Eddie Vedder is renowned for his powerful vocal style and intelligent lyrical content fronting Seattle grunge pioneers, Pearl Jam. ‘Into The Wild’, the soundtrack to the Sean Penndirected film of the same name, is Vedder’s debut solo album. The singer/guitarist ventures away from his usual sound here, producing results influenced by American folk.
Acoustic guitars and tambourines combine with electric fuzz to help build a mood of adventure and new beginnings, reflecting thestory of the film, which is based on the book by Jon Krakauer.
I don’t know what it is about the songs written by Eddie Vedder than make then last so long in terms of their sheer listenability. Having been a fan of Pearl Jam since the early 1990s it became habitual to watch films featuring PJ music. Singles, Dead Man Walking and of late Into the Wild.
There hasn’t been a week this year that I haven’t listened to at least one track from the Into the Wild soundtrack. I’ve pretty much learnt to play every song including the fantastic Guaranteed.
The link between music and film has always been prolifically strong. Film students refer to music overlay as non diegetic sound a rather scientific term to describe the sounds and music you not expect to find the depicted scene in reality. Used properly music can enhance the emotional strength of a film beyond anything that can be created visually.
Into the Wild works in a similar fashion. A moving true story of Chris McCandless. The film is beautiful, moving and challenging. Eddie Vedder wrote the soundtrack. His ability to draw on his own upbringing and experience results in a soundtrack just as important as the moving image being watched.
The strength comes from the reality. Vedder’s tepid upbringing is not far from that of Chris McCandless and it is fair to say you can’t effectively write about pain until you’ve really felt it. The sheer emotion and sincere feeling oozes from every song. The title track is best listened to with the overdubbed lines from the film (see YouTube video below). Vedder discusses the contribution his personal experiences bring to the music here.
I’ve listened to no less that fifty albums this year and I return to the Into the Wild soundtrack on a weekly basis. Each sound throwing up the image taken by Chris on his camera outside bus 142 (featured with this post) If you have not watched the film or listened to the music it really is worth watching. Film first, soundtrack for a long time after.
If you have listened to the music or seen the film please post what you thoughts of either below.
Links:
Soundtrack | Book | Film
No words can describe what i felt when i watched the movie.it is amazing .The way Chris expresses his feelings and tries to show people all the cruelity of the life we live in is impressionable and after this movie to be honest i began to think abt human beings…
as for me i think Eddie is a great person.he knew exectly what Chris felt when he walked into the wild…so the songs are just amazing…acording to a real life and the experiance Vedder wrote songs that will be left for good in our memories and in our hearts..
I actually just watched the film on Saturday past and thought it was great. You would recommend the soundtrack then?
Definitely, the soundtrack is brilliant. I covered it here too http://www.digmo.co.uk/edu/mia/the-importance-of-a-soundtrack/ Eddie Vedder is a legend!