Mind Equals Blown
  • Home
  • Music
    • Fast Five
    • 3 Of The Week
  • Film/TV
  • Photos
  • Podcast
  • Pop-Punk May Madness
Album Reviews 6

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Soundtrack

By Heather Allen @@heatherjustine · On November 21, 2013


With the premiere of the second film installment of Suzanne Collins’ best-selling young adult series, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Soundtrack has received just as much excitement as the film itself. Considering the soundtrack for the first film is certified gold, there is obviously a high expectation for this one to be just as musically epic. With more characters and an even more intense plotline to try to embody, there’s no doubt that the soundtrack should pretty much paint the storyline through instrumentation and lyrics.

Promotion for the soundtrack (and the film in general) has been subtle yet hard-hitting at the same time. The first single, Coldplay‘s “Atlas”(which was released two months before the album), really set the stage for what the rest of the album was going to accomplish. “Atlas” perfectly defines the struggle of what Katniss must feel as being a champion who is “carrying the world” on her shoulders as “The Mockingjay” while The Capitol is doing everything in their power to destroy her with its haunting melody. The following single, Sia‘s “Elastic Heart (feat. The Weekend & Diplo)”, creates a dark-sounding, dance-like track that depicts the love triangle that is Katniss, Peeta and Gale, in which she feels that she’s being stretched in many different directions to try to give love to both of them.

With a handful of relatively bland, unexciting songs (Of Monsters and Men, The Lumineers, Santigold and even Christina Aguilera‘s single “We Remain”) paired with some tracks that just do not fit with what the franchise stands for (mainly Ellie Goulding‘s better-fit-for-a-mermaid-movie “Mirror”), it seemed like there wasn’t anything more to it apart from the big names. However, the weird combos are what make a soundtrack a soundtrack and sometimes it’s used to its advantage. The Weeknd‘s “Devil May Cry” fits in almost as much as Kid Cudi did on the first soundtrack (not so much). It’s gospel-like, but with a dark, folksy/R&B twist that embodies what President Snow says about letting the tributes think they’re invincible but still having The Capitol as the ultimate power. In the end, its odd instrumentation makes it fit perfectly with the overall storyline of the film.

Two of the best songs on the album come from fan favorites Imagine Dragons and Lorde, in which they are placed directly in the middle of the soundtrack as part of a means to keep the listeners wanting more. Imagine Dragons’ “Who We Are” is the perfect example of (*spoiler alert*) the comradeship of Districts 3, 4, and 7 that the tributes of District 12 bring about during the midst of the stress caused by The Quarter Quell, with heartbreaking lyrics like “doesn’t matter if it’s not our day” and “so won’t you save us/what we are.” Lorde’s “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” can most definitely be the theme song of the Career Tributes (Districts 1, 2 and 4). Its beginning lyrics, “welcome to your life/ there’s no turning back/ even while we sleep/ we will find you,” is haunting and creepy and really makes you paranoid even though we’re obviously not currently living in the dystopian world that Katniss lives in (in which every day is a constant battle to stay alive).

The deluxe edition of the soundtrack contains three bonus tracks that really don’t even need to be there in the first place. But I’ve got to admit that Mikky Ekko‘s “Place For Us” should’ve been placed in the original version because it’s really beautiful. Even though it’s slightly upbeat, it’s the lyrics of being “the chosen ones” (AKA Katniss and Peeta) who will evidently save all of humanity that really turn the song into something other than a cheesy love song.

Because The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Soundtrack is essentially that – a soundtrack – it’s difficult not to imagine which scenes in the film the songs would fit into. It’s an eclectic mix of well-known chart-toppers with the hottest names in alternative as well as a handful of bands and artists that are relatively new to the scene (which is good exposure for them but definitely uses the well-known artists to draw listeners in). The overall flow of the album starts off strong and stays there until the middle, where it lacks energy for a bit, but then picks back up towards the end. It’s a solid soundtrack that lives up to the hype of what the film brings, but with a few different choices in artists, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire would’ve been Capitol-worthy to its very core.

Follow Heather on Twitter and Instagram!

Catching FireChristina AguileraColdplayDiploEllie GouldingImagine DragonsLordeMikky EkkoOf Monsters and MenRepublic RecordsSantigoldSiaSuzanne CollinsThe Hunger GamesThe LumineersThe Weekend
Share Tweet

Heather Allen

I'm a Journalism/Communication Studies graduate of Azusa Pacific University and live in the heart of the music industry. I can never turn down an opportunity to go to a show, I listen to my music way too loud, and I pretty much have the oddest music taste in the world.

You Might Also Like

  • Real Friends Album Reviews

    Real Friends Search for Stability on New Album “Composure”

  • Listen On Spotify Album Reviews

    Blending Pop, Country and Soul: Dan + Shay Impress Again

  • Single review for Season 13's winner of "The Voice", Chloe Kohanski. This blend of pop and rock aims to keep her from being a one-hit wonder. Album Reviews

    One-Hit Wonder: Chloe Kohanski’s “Come This Far” Has a Deeper Message

6 Comments

  • Replica rolex Classic Replica says: March 13, 2020 at 8:54 AM

    … [Trackback]

    […] Find More Info here on that Topic: mindequalsblown.net/reviews/album-reviews/the-hunger-games-catching-fire-soundtrack […]

    Reply
  • https://przedszkolelidzbark.pl/ says: March 20, 2020 at 5:28 AM

    … [Trackback]

    […] There you will find 71298 additional Information on that Topic: mindequalsblown.net/reviews/album-reviews/the-hunger-games-catching-fire-soundtrack […]

    Reply
  • winnipeg dentists says: March 22, 2020 at 5:53 AM

    … [Trackback]

    […] Find More on on that Topic: mindequalsblown.net/reviews/album-reviews/the-hunger-games-catching-fire-soundtrack […]

    Reply
  • Online Shopping says: March 24, 2020 at 7:56 AM

    … [Trackback]

    […] Info on that Topic: mindequalsblown.net/reviews/album-reviews/the-hunger-games-catching-fire-soundtrack […]

    Reply
  • bitcoin gift card says: April 14, 2020 at 11:37 AM

    … [Trackback]

    […] Here you will find 16125 more Information to that Topic: mindequalsblown.net/reviews/album-reviews/the-hunger-games-catching-fire-soundtrack […]

    Reply
  • agen togel terpercaya says: May 17, 2020 at 2:33 PM

    … [Trackback]

    […] Info to that Topic: mindequalsblown.net/reviews/album-reviews/the-hunger-games-catching-fire-soundtrack […]

    Reply
  • Share Your Thoughts With Us! Cancel reply

    Music

    • An Absurd World: Bright Eyes and Meaning of Our Own Making

      September 11, 2020
    • Living Through the Emotion Revolution

      August 27, 2020
    • Folklore Proves That Taylor Swift Has Always Been This Good

      August 24, 2020
    • Daddy’s Beemer Ain’t Scared of Nothin’

      July 22, 2020
    • Previewing the Rest of 2020 in Album Releases

      July 12, 2020

    Film

    • Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak Becomes an Eerie Reality as the Coronavirus Spreads

      April 2, 2020
    • Joe Pera Talks with You Is the Perfect Medicine in a Divided Time

      March 12, 2020
    • Everything Is Fine, and Other Takeaways from The Good Place

      February 26, 2020
    • Why I Picked Parasite to Win Best Picture (and Why I Was Right)

      February 11, 2020
    • Let’s Discuss This Year’s Academy Awards Nominations

      January 17, 2020

    Photos

    • Kansas City Fell For White Reaper This Valentine’s Season

      February 23, 2020
    • Thrice Perseveres to Put on Anniversary Show in Chicago

      February 10, 2020
    • Transcending with Illenium

      November 26, 2019
    • KC Bundled Up for Sweater Weather with The Neighbourhood

      November 20, 2019
    • Dreaming of a Plain White T’s Christmas

      November 19, 2019
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Press Kit

    Subscribe & Follow

    Follow @mindequalsblown
    Follow on Instagram
    Follow on rss
    © 2016 Mind Equals Blown All rights reserved.

    © 2013 Solo Pine Designs, Inc. All rights reserved.