CD Review: "Across the Universe" Soundtrack

For listeners even slightly aquainted with the music of The Beatles, the “Across the Universe” two-disc deluxe film soundtrack is a new and fun progression through familiar territory. Instantly recognizable hits like “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and “Let It Be” keep the spirit of the original recordings while bringing something new to the table.


The film of the same name follows the story of Jude, a young man from Liverpool who travels to America in search of the father who left him. Along the way, he befriends Max, a self-proclaimed “irresponsible, unmotivated college dropout” and his naïve sister, Lucy. The music weaves its way through their psychedelic journey to New York City in the 1960s, providing a brilliant musical account of the characters’ lives.

The soundtrack features the voices of the film’s young and talented cast as they sing their way through the 1960s. From Jim Sturgess’s sorrowful rendition of “Girl” to Joe Anderson’s adolescent and slightly flirtatious version of “With A Little Help From My Friends,” the recordings match the film characters’ sentiments to a tee. The listener can truly hear the excited anticipation in Evan Rachel Wood’s voice in “It Won’t Be Long” as her character, Lucy, awaits the return of her boyfriend from basic training.

While songs like “Hey Jude” and “All You Need Is Love” sound quite similar to their original form, other tracks have changed in some way to elicit a different emotion or match the film’s events. But these variations don’t take away from the brilliant lyrics or the heart of the songs – on the contrary, they give new life to songs heard repeatedly on classic rock stations. “Let It Be” begins with a small black child singing the first verse with little musical accompaniment and ends with a church choir belting out the lyrics in a soulful rendition of the original. This fits well with the scenes of violence, death and a funeral during this part of the film.

But what makes this soundtrack stand out more is its ability to reach out to a broader audience. For people listening to soundtracks from musicals like “Rent” and “The Phantom of the Opera,” seeing the movie is necessary to understanding the tracks’ lyrics and tone. This is not necessarily the case for “Across the Universe” listeners – people can just enjoy two discs’ worth of beautifully revamped Beatles music. Having knowledge of the film’s characters can give context to the songs, but at the end of the day, tracks like “Hold Me Tight” and “I Want To Hold Your Hand” stand on their own as individual creative works anyone can enjoy (even the younger set who might not be familiar with The Beatles).

So before you turn to your “Rubber Soul” album or a classic rock radio station for your Beatles fix, try out this new take on the band’s music. You’ll be glad you let “Across the Universe” reacquaint you with these songs.