Where the Wild Things Are – Soundtrack

By Rebecca Spence, Staff Contributor

Grade: A

The album begins with a little boy whispering “Hi,” followed by his mother’s reply: “I could use a story.” And so begins the enchanting musical accompaniment of the wonderful tale written by Maurice Sendak and re-imagined by Spike Jonze.
The Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack is an absolute delight from beginning to end. Each track functions as its own individual chapter to a story allowing the listener to fully delve into its fictional world.
Karen O, vocalist from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and ex-girlfriend of director Spike Jonze, is the composer of this wonderfully unique soundtrack. Her band mates from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox, Liars’ Aaron Hemphill, The Dead Weather’s Dean Fertita and Jack Lawrence from The Raconteurs all are responsible for contributing to this fine musical endeavor.
Ultimately, the soundtrack owes its success to Karen O’s writing and vocals. Her tone and seamless style is entirely necessary for the story’s central theme of wild emotions, which carry the film from beginning to end.
Tracks such as “All Is Love”, “Rumpus”, “Animal” and “Lost Fur” perfectly embody the spirit and soul of the storyline. Without them, the soundtrack would not feel complete. “All Is Love” is an energizing blend of gang chants and whistling, making the song a truly magical anthem. “Rumpus” begins with an excerpt from the film’s dialogue, in which the freshly crowned King Max proclaims: “Let the world rumpus start!”
Taking things to a whole new level, you experience the image of the rambunctious, carefree wild things come to life through song. “Animal” provides you with a jolt of youthful adrenaline and ends with a hailstorm of howls and hollers that send a small shiver down your spine.
While the fun and games sentiment in the film’s plot line is conveyed effortlessly in the music, these happy-go-lucky tracks are balanced nicely with others that are deeply melancholic. For instance, the instrumental “Lost Fur” – performed by the Coen brothers’ chief scorer Carter Burwell – mellows the pace enough so you can take a well-earned break from all these shenanigans.
Before you know it the mesmerizing 14-chapter story has come to an end and you’re ready to experience the entire thing all over again. Hopefully the child inside each of us never grows up.