Until the End of the World [Soundtrack]

It opens with an instrumental by Graeme Revell- who also contributes 'Claire's Theme', 'Love Theme' and the 'Finale'. More Badalementi than Nyman...Next is a reformed Talking Heads, writing as every other artist, as if it were 1999 (Prince's subconscious influence?). 'Sax & Violins' could have been on the wonderful 'Naked' album- somewhere between 'The Facts of Life' and 'Mommy Daddy You & I'...Next is a sublime cover of 'Summer Kisses, Winter Tears' (famously used in an advert for a forgotten product)- produced by Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch. If you liked 'Twin Peaks' or 'Floating in the Night', this Julee Cruise song is for you...Next is the forgettable 'Move With Me (dub)' from her poor follow-up to her debut...Crime & The City Solution, who appeared in Berlin in 'Wings of Desire' contribute one of the highlights of the album. 'The Adversary'- used in the China/blindness sequence- is a dramatic song co-written with Mick Harvey (PJ Harvey/Bad Seeds/great Serge Gainsbourg covers/the soundtracks to 'Chopper', 'Ghosts...of the Civil Dead' and 'To Have and To Hold') and Einsturzende Neaubauten's Alexander Hacke. If you like Lenny Cohen or John Cale...Lou Reed offers a slightly alternate version of 'What's Good' from 'Magic & Loss'- one of the standout songs from that album...Can reform for 'Last Night Sleep'- which is a lot less rhythmic and more vocal than their work on albums like 'Ege Bamyasi' & 'Tago Mago'...REM contributed 'Fretless', the bridge between 'Out of Time' & 'Automatic for the People'- it features The B52's Kate Pierson (as did 'Shiny Happy People'). It is very downbeat and somewhere between The Smiths and 'Automatic's 'Drive'...Elvis Costello cheers proceedings up with a not bad take on The Kinks 'Days'- though the Kirsty MacColl cover was better!...Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds continue their Wenders collaborations with '(I'll Love You)Till The End of the World'- the best thing Cave recorded between 'The Good Son' and 'The Boatman's Call'. Its spoken element remind you of 'The Carny'- featured in 'Wings of Desire'. It is also a great story in itself...Patti and the late Fred Smith contribute 'It Takes Time'- which is closer to her 'Dream of Life' album than 'Horses'. Very 'chill out'!!...Depeche Mode, well Alan wilder and Steve Lyon with Martin Gore singing, contribute 'Death's Door'. This was the first fruits of their 'Songs of Faith & Devotion' period- and continues the blues elements developed on 'Personal Jesus' and 'Sweetest Perfection'. Imagine Martin Gore's lush 'Counterfeit' e.p. with Ry Cooder interludes. Wonderful...Another highlight is the Jane Siberry/KD Lang duet, 'Calling All Angels'- which was given a wonderful cover by Sarah Polley in Atom Egoyan's 'The Sweet Hereafter'. T-Bone Burnett contributes 'Humans from Earth', while Daniel Lanois offers 'Sleeping in the Devil's Bed'. These sound like the works of Dylan producers! Finally (well before the 'Finale') we get U2's 'Until the End of the World'. This is from their great period- from 'Achtung Baby!' to 'Passengers'. The song is a sonic maelstrom in the mode of MBV or NIN, with a song as good as 'A Sort of Homecoming' or 'Bullet the Blue Sky'. Great!

This is an excellent soundtrack album- one of the best of the Nineties and is great value at this budget price.