• Comics
  • Games
  • TV
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Contests
  • More
    • New Media
    • Books
    • Fan Culture
    • Collectibles
    • Theatre
    • Community Guidelines
  • About

Luther: Songs and Score from Series 1, 2 & 3 Soundtrack Review

February 17, 2014 at 2:00 pm
Ann Wells
Off

LUTHER Series 3

For three series, viewers were held in suspense over the trials, tribulations, and unorthodox investigative techniques of a troubled London copper in the hit BBC drama Luther. Fans of the show can now relive the suspense with this compilation soundtrack containing music selected from across the 14 episodes of the show. Highlights from Paul Englishby’s background score are interspersed with an interesting mix of songs from a wide variety of artists to create an album experience that is sure to entertain both fans of the show and those who have never seen an episode.

Paul Englishby’s composing experience ranges from television and film scores to music for stage productions, including those of the Royal Shakespeare Company. For the score to Luther, he does a great job of reflecting the tone of the show in the music. Whether accompanying DCI Luther’s darkest, most brooding moments, or the suspenseful hunt for a suspect, Englishby gets it just right.

While Englishby’s score is great, however, it is the collection of various artists showcased across the three series that make this soundtrack so awesome. The album starts, like every episode of Luther, with Massive Attack’s “Paradise Circus,” its relaxed beat and melancholy melody setting us up for the drama to come. The rest of the cuts were selected to play over various episodes’ closing credits. In this promotional video put out by Silva Screen, Idris Elba explains that the songs were chosen to be a high-energy way to take the audience out of what they had just seen and set them up to look forward to the next episode. In this I think they definitely succeed while still maintaining the overall darkness of the show. Cases in point: the original version of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” by Nina Simone, and Marilyn Manson’s cover of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” are both much more in keeping with Luther than the more upbeat versions of these songs that we’re used to hearing. The styles run the gamut as well, from the jazzy blues and heavy metal of the aforementioned two songs to Robert Plant’s folk-like “Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down” and everything in between.

I can’t say that this soundtrack is always enjoyable, unless you enjoy music that keeps you on edge and in suspense. It is a great ride, however, and a great addition to any music collection.

Track Listing:

  1. Massive Attack – “Paradise Circus”
  2. “The First Case”
  3. The Heavy – “Big Bad Wolf”
  4. “Carnage”
  5. Gil Scott-Heron – “Me and the Devil”
  6. “Luther Does Things His Way”
  7. Robert Plant – “Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down”
  8. “John Luther”
  9. Nina Simone – “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”
  10. “Unlucky Young Couple”
  11. Emiliana Torrini – “Gun”
  12. “Attack In The Attic”
  13. Suede – “She”
  14. “The Children”
  15. Joan As Police Woman – “Flash”
  16. “Double Crossed”
  17. Marilyn Manson – “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)”
  18. “He’s Behind You”
  19. Hanni El Khatib – “I Got A Thing”
  20. “Alice”
  21. Grinderman – “Palaces of Montezuma”
  22. Kasabian – “Black Whistler”

Rating: 4 / 5 Stars

 

Idris Elba, Luther, paul englishby, Reviews, soundtracks

You might also like:

  •  In Your Eyes (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Review In Your Eyes (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Review
  • Walk of Shame (More Music From The Motion Picture) Soundtrack ReviewWalk of Shame (More Music From The Motion Picture) Soundtrack Review
  • Soundtrack Review: Doctor Who – The 50th Anniversary CollectionSoundtrack Review: Doctor Who – The 50th Anniversary Collection
  • Sherlock Series 3 Soundtrack ReviewSherlock Series 3 Soundtrack Review
  • ‘Knights of Badassdom’ Soundtrack Review‘Knights of Badassdom’ Soundtrack Review
About the Author
Ann Wells is an elementary music teacher by day and a nerd all the time. Her fandoms include Star Wars (the original three, thank-you-very-much), Doctor Who (10 is her doctor), and great authors like J.R.R. Tolkien, Isaac Asimov, and Neil Gaiman, among others. She can usually be found with her nose in a book, playing an instrument, singing show tunes, being crafty with yarn, or doing the bidding of her cat.
  • Contest: Win Three Clint Eastwood Classics on 4K and Digital!
  • Contest: Win Batman Ninja Vs. Yakuza League on 4K and Digital!
  • Contest: Win Companion on 4K and Digital!
  • Contest: Win Red One on 4K and Digital!
  • Contest: Win Amadeus on 4K and Digital!

Follow Us!

© 2008-2022 Fandomania | Privacy Policy