Some new movie soundtracks

About Time by Various Artists: Richard Curtis is one movie director who knows how to use pop music in his soundtracks for maximum effect. Remember Love Is All Around Us by Wet Wet Wet in Four Weddings And A Funeral or what about She by Elvis Costello in Notting Hill or God Only Knows by the Beach Boys in Love Actually. Curtis has a new film titled About Time and like his previous releases, it has a highly appealing collection of tunes in its soundtrack. Watch the movie and find out by which song you will always remember this love story.

About Time stars Domhall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams. It is about a young man who has the ability to time travel. This means that he has a second chance or more to change the consequences of his actions. This enables him to marry the woman he loves by going back to the past and removing her present boyfriend. He later learns though that change does not always end up in what is best and it is only when he decides to live life day to day that he finds true happiness.

 This plot provides a great opportunity for the use of existing songs in the soundtrack as these can easily set the time frame of a scene. And Curtis really goes all out with the music from The Luckiest, a tune by the latest indie rock star Ben Folds to a cover of Il Mondo by Jimmy Fontana and then to two versions of the theme song How Long Will I Love You by folk singers Jon Boden, Sam Sweeney and Ben Coleman and another one by the hot young pop star Ellie Goulding. And then back to When I Fall In Love by Barbara Gough and forward to, etc.

In between there are Mid Air by Paul Buchanan; At The River by Groove Armada; Friday I’m In Love by The Cure; Back To Black by Amy Winehouse; Gold In Them Hills by Ron Sexsmith; About Time Theme and Golborne Road by Nick Laird-Clowes; Into My Arms by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds; Mr. Brightsides by The Killers; Push The Buttons by Sugababes; and All The Things She Said by T.A.T.U.

More From Pitch Perfect by Various Artists: This is actually not the soundtrack of a new Pitch Perfect movie. The sequel flick of the blockbuster musical about a cappella singers is not due for showing until next year. This album is a sequel to the big-selling soundtrack of the first Pitch Perfect film. It seems like some songs that were not included in the soundtrack CD that was released. Although it was a big hit fans still thought those omitted songs were considered too important to be left out. So after being inundated with lots of requests, the producers relented and released this album.

 The highlight of the More from Pitch Perfect CD is of course Cups, the pop version by Anna Kendrick of the Pitch Perfect hit song When I’m Gone. She performed a short version of this tune with the cups routine in the movie. It proved to be so popular that she recorded this full-length version and made it into an even bigger hit.

Also included are Starships by Nicki Minaj; We Came To Smash — In A Black Tuxedo by Martin Solvieg featuring Dev; Keep Your Head Up by Andy Grammer; Rome by Yeasayer; and Before We Fall In Love by Damato.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Various Artists: The first book of the big-selling young adult fantasy series by Cassandra Clare has been made into movie starring Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower. And it has a soundtrack album to match. As expected, the CD is an excellent collection of the edgiest pop songs suited to the modern-day adventure. Truth to tell, this album is so well-put together that it can exist on its own. At the same time, it also so wonderfully mirrors the scenes in the film that you can play the sounds and see the picture playing in your mind.

City of Bones tells the story of a girl Clary, who is a Shadowhunter. These are humans with the power to kill demons. The mortal instrument here is a cup, which can turn those who drink from it into half-angels. Clary’s task is to save New York from fallen Shadowhunters, who will unleash demons into the city. This novel has everything, vampires, werewolves and all sorts of demons and a burial ground called the City of Bones where dead Shadowhunters are buried but can be brought back to life. Lots of action all throughout and fantasies for everyone.

Highlights are the new recordings made by some of today’s biggest names: The soulful Almost Is Never Enough, a duet by Ariana Grande and Nathan Sykes of The Wanted; the rock ballad Heart by Heart by Demi Lovato; and the haunting When The Darkness Comes by Colbie Caillat. There are also cuts like Into The Lair by Zedd; Crimes by AFI; Strangers by Seven Lions with Myon and Shane 54 feat. Tove Lo; Magnetic by Jessie J; Bear by Pacific Air; All About Us by He Is We feat. Owl City; Calling From Above by Bassnectar; and Strange Days by Bryan Ellis.