Kill Bill: Volume 1
Various Artists
Maverick

Quentin Tarantino is a director who knows how to use music. Many of the scenes in his movies are memorable partially due to great music selection. Whether it’s a torture scene set to “Stuck in the Middle With You” or the rousing opening credits of Pulp Fiction set to “Miserlou” or Robert Forster grooving to the Delfonics, Tarantino not only knows how to use music effectively, but manages to create an eclectic mix of a songs which closely mirrors his directorial style of mixing various film influences. The soundtrack for his latest film, Kill Bill: Volume One, doesn’t break from that tradition.

If you’ve seen Tarantino’s latest, then most likely at least one song from the film stuck with you. It may be Nancy Sinatra’s incredibly appropriate “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Down),” the sorrowful tunes of Luis Bacalov’s “The Grand Duel” or Meijo Kaji’s “The Flower of Carnage.” Perhaps you were more taken with the fun theme song to the Green Hornet or “Woo Hoo” by the 5,6,7,8’s, or just the simple ass-kicking music of Tomoyasu Hotei’s “Battle Without Honor or Humanity.” Just as the film conveys so many emotions while keeping with Tarantino’s distinct style, the soundtrack contains widely different tunes and only one or two tracks feel out of place.

The track that needs to be cut from the CD is certainly RZA’s “Ode to O-ren Ishii.” While RZA did a fine job putting this album together, the man cannot rap worth a damn and the track fits awkwardly between Bernard Hermann’s offbeat “Twisted Nerve” and Isaac Hayes “Run Fay Run.” Also, Charlie Feathers’ “That Certain Female” does not sit too well with me, but it’s no deal-breaker.

If you dug Kill Bill, there’s no reason for you not to pick up this CD. The majority of the tracks are really enjoyable and with the exception of RZA’s tracks and some odd sound effects included on the final five non-listed tracks, this is a CD that contains one fine tune after another. If I had to point out a disappointment with the album, I would point to the lack of Ennio Morricone’s “Death Rides a Horse.”

Oh, one more thing: pop the CD into your computer and you’ll not only get the teaser trailer for the film, you’ll also get two awesome bootleg trailers for the film.

-Matt Goldberg