2023 will likely be remembered for the Battle of Barbie vs. Oppenheimer, two extravagantly-budgeted movies which each drop right now (July 21). However within the soundtrack division, ‘Barbie’ is an instantaneous winner: the legendary Mark Ronson was recruited to co-produce the album with the movie’s director Greta Gerwig. And what a quick he’s been given: convincing the world’s hottest popstars to make a soundtrack that was by some means each eagerly camp, soberly meta and filled with Kenergy is a hazardous affair. Have the pair pulled it off?
The perfect songs of the album eagerly play into the unnerving undertones of ‘Barbie’. Opener ‘Pink’ is a easy disco quantity from Lizzo, who’s her effortlessly charismatic self. That very same earnestness is the proper supply for the inklings of Barbie’s existential disaster: “Pink! Fairly! Eye? Clever! In! By no means Unhappy. Kay? Cool!…”
Similar goes for Sam Smith’s 80s-inspired ‘Man I Am’, a hilariously campy foreshadowing of Ken’s codependent predicament. Smith’s shifts from deep, horny smokiness to diva vocals makes them the proper candidate for the music, and so they completely smash it with their pitch-perfect piss-take of machismo.
It’s Billie Eilish’s heartbreaking ‘What Was I Made For’ that basically shapes the album. Her sincerity by no means comes off as contrived given how a lot of her private life has bled into the lyrics: “Assume I forgot learn how to be completely happy / one thing I’m not, however one thing I will be”. Eilish’s vocals are by some means much more whispery than traditional, as if that is Barbie’s deepest, darkest secret – because of the fragile association, it really works.
There are many surprises on ‘Barbie’; Ryan Gosling is probably the largest wild card. In the event you can sincerely belt the phrases “blonde fragility” in a glam energy ballad and hit each single notice – my God, you Ken do something in life.
However there are additionally loads of disappointments, particularly from the heavyweight contributors. Charli XCX and automobiles must be a successful system, however the lacklustre verses and odd vocal processing betray the unbelievable refrain on ‘Pace Drive’, while Dua Lipa’s ‘Dance The Night time Away’ is merely ‘Future Nostalgia’ reducing room materials. The largest blow to the soundtrack goes to Ava Max’s ‘Select Your Fighter’, which is an entire rip-off of Max’s personal ‘Kings & Queens’: similar a capella intro, similar key and even the identical chord development. And what’s worse is ‘Kings & Queens’ was a rip-off of Bonnie Tyler!
Regardless of its underwhelming second half, ‘Barbie’ is full of a shocking range of sounds paying homage to the Mattel muse. The soundtrack has some great highs and a few depressing lows – however then once more, it’s not all rosy in Barbie Land…
Particulars
- Launch date: July 21, 2023
- File label: Atlantic/Warner
