One of the things I enjoyed telling folks about Sinners was “it’s a musical!” Ryan Coogler’s excellent blockbuster film was notable for many reasons, its use of music definitely being one of them. Though it’s not a traditional musical– characters don’t burst into song per se, although the standout “Rocky Road to Dublin” sequence comes close– music is central to the plot and the overall experience. And it’s great music. As a certified soundtrack junkie, I knew I had to get the music immediately.
It’s always a tossup of whether music will work as well as a separate listening experience as it will in the context of a movie, be that a score or a song compilation like Sinners. In this case, the songs probably work a little better in conjunction with the film– at least some of them. But that doesn’t mean the album isn’t a worthwhile experience.
Sinners is about evenly split between songs sung in the world of the film and “needle drops,” and they alternate throughout the runtime to keep things interesting.
Highlights of the “musical numbers” include Jayme Lawson’s “Pale Pale Moon” (we also get an alternate version by Brittany Howard); “Pick Poor Robin Clean,” the memorable first song by the vampires Remmick, Joan, and Bert (Jack O’Connell, Lola Kirke, Peter Dreimanis; also featured is a 1930s recording by blues singer Geeshie Wiley); “Rocky Road to Dublin” by O’Connell, Brian Dunphy, and Darren Holden, and “I Lied to You” by Miles Caton (“Sammie”), from the standout “time travel sequence” that kicks off the movie’s second act. (The latter isn’t as powerful on the album, separated from the outstanding visuals and sound design that enveloped it onscreen.) Several tracks are by the outstanding Caton, like “This Little Light of Mine” which opens and closes the movie. Blues legend Buddy Guy, who plays the older Sammie, contributes his own version of “Travelin’,” heard earlier in the film.
On the “needle drop” side we have costar Hailee Steinfeld’s first single in years, the terrific “Dangerous.” It’s not only a great song but has lyrics– written by the actress– reflecting her character’s situation and star-crossed romance with Stack (Michael B. Jordan) in the film. It’s one of a few songs here that could be vying for Best Original Song at next year’s Oscars.
Other highlights include the eerie “Flames of Fortune,” by film composer Ludwig Göransson and Don Toliver, the hautingly beautiful “Séance” by James Blake and Göransson, and “Last Time (I Seen the Sun)” by Alice Smith and Caton. (It’s worth noting that Alice Smith contributed covers to the soundtrack of the similarly themed HBO series, Lovecraft Country.)
The impact of Sinners is inseparable from the music, and this soundtrack is a worthwhile purchase for fans of the film and/or blues music.
Sinners: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released on vinyl by Mutant today (August 29). It’s also available for streaming and digital download.
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